Not So Fast With The Countrywide Settlement [View article]
I read somewhere that BA has kept the Countrywide division as a separate operating organization that BA could put in bankruptcy separate from the BA parent. Does anyone know the truth of that situation? What would be the effect of that action if it is possible?
Ford (F) plans to build its new Transit Connect Wagon in Spain due to a lack of manufacturing capacity in North America. The decision appears to be based on simple math. According to Ford VP Jim Tetreault, the automaker is already operating at 114% in North America. [View news story]
Ford just closed two plants in Europe. Labor costs! Ford is going to build vehicles in Spain and possibly Turkey. Lower Labor costs. Ford is doing a good job of transferring production to lower cost locations. When the next slow down in sales comes, guess which plants will show up on the close lists.
The CPI puts all of us in the same box that does not exist as a reality for any of us. The majority of purchases are daily living items at grocery stores, toy stores, gas stations, clothing stores and other like locations. The homemaker the buys cleaning supplies at the dollar store, because she cannot afford the brand name products at the grocery store sees that as inflation, but the CPI sees lower costs. Anyone who buys branded products and fresh foods knows the costs are going up, along with utility costs, taxes, cars and toilet paper. How will the CPI reflect the 2% tax increase that all employees will experience when the reduction in Social Security withholding is eliminated?
Thanks for the referenced article. Makes me wonder if the execs at BAC are working to avoid a portfolio of low interest mortgages? Or, maybe they just have more than enough to deal with the Countrywide hangover.
No comment - just a question. Are the banks accumulating a lot of low interest mortgages that could lead to a repeat of the Savings and Loan crisis of the eighties? Or, are the low interest mortgages being converted to investor owned or government owned paper? At the current mortgage interest rates, I cannot see why any bank would want to hold any mortgages as investment paper, even though the lower house prices and interest rates should make the new and refinanced mortgages relatively safe. Would appreciate some articles about banks and mortgage portfolios. Thanks - Sandy
A third factory rejects Ford's (F) tentative agreement with the United Auto Workers union. Local 892, which represents workers at an interior-parts plant in Saline, Mich., votes no after two local unions shot down the contract earlier this week. Opponents say the contract lacks a real wage increase to fight inflation and allows Ford to continue its liberal use of contract workers. [View news story]
Since GM and Chrysler went bankrupt their Unions were "stuck" with large blocks of company stock. Why would a union strike a company it owns. Also, under the settlement agreements, the unions cannot strike at GM or Chrysler during this round of contracts. Ford is going to be the union target this time and into the future, unless the unions are forced to divest themselves of their stock holdings in the companies with whom they negotiate. Long term, Ford could be forced into more foreign production, even now they are offering a better contract than GM or Chrysler.
U.S. Treasuries Holders: China Is #2 [View article]
Dear Mr. Brouwer: Are there any conditions where the Fed in holding all these Treasuries could create large unexpected assessments on the member banks? I am wondering about the consequences to the banking industry of events such as interest rate increasing, lack of buyers for future issues of Treasuries and I do not know what else could happen.
Not So Fast With The Countrywide Settlement [View article]
Did Bank Of America Just Effectively Limit Its Countrywide Liabilities? [View article]
Ford (F) plans to build its new Transit Connect Wagon in Spain due to a lack of manufacturing capacity in North America. The decision appears to be based on simple math. According to Ford VP Jim Tetreault, the automaker is already operating at 114% in North America. [View news story]
Getting The Questions Right [View article]
Jumping The Gun On Bank Of America [View article]
Jumping The Gun On Bank Of America [View article]
A third factory rejects Ford's (F) tentative agreement with the United Auto Workers union. Local 892, which represents workers at an interior-parts plant in Saline, Mich., votes no after two local unions shot down the contract earlier this week. Opponents say the contract lacks a real wage increase to fight inflation and allows Ford to continue its liberal use of contract workers. [View news story]
U.S. Treasuries Holders: China Is #2 [View article]
Are there any conditions where the Fed in holding all these Treasuries could create large unexpected assessments on the member banks? I am wondering about the consequences to the banking industry of events such as interest rate increasing, lack of buyers for future issues of Treasuries and I do not know what else could happen.