HAUKE: Some lessons to share as personal milestones approach
This September
will give me 15 years as a professional in the securities industry. My firm will celebrate 10 years this November.
Investing
Articles
Venture firms recapitalize Advanced Physical Therapy LLC
Locally based venture capital firms Cardinal Equity Partners and Centerfield Capital Partners have joined with Chicago-based
bank Harris NA to recapitalize the state’s largest independent physical therapy provider.
First Indiana deals stemmed from broader probe
The insider-trading settlements announced by the Securities and Exchange Commission this week were an outgrowth of a broader
inquiry into trading in First Indiana Corp. by dozens of people before its sale two years ago, according to a former director
of the bank.
Locals settle First Indiana insider-trading case
The Securities and Exchange Commission said today that it has settled insider-trading charges against three local residents
who bought shares in First Indiana Corp. immediately before the July 9, 2007, announcement that it was being acquired by a
Milwaukee bank for a 42-percent premium.
Green light for local IPOs?
If nothing else, you have to admire the patience shown by ExactTarget and Aprimo, two of the area’s hottest tech companies,
as they await better conditions to launch their initial public offerings.
SKARBECK: For numerous banks, times still troubling
Every Friday after the markets have closed, my e-mail starts getting dinged by the FDIC. That is when the government agency
publicly announces the names of banks that failed during the past week.
Biglari consolidates power, as Steak n Shake rebounds
The Texas investor running the chain doesn’t seem like such a champion of transparency these days.
Schrenker faces nine more charges in Indiana
An Indiana money manager scheduled to be sentenced today in Florida on charges he deliberately crashed his plane to fake his
death and flee financial ruin now faces more charges in his home state.
HAUKE: Storybook market may last a bit longer
People keep asking me
to explain the stock market advance over the past five months. There are usually comments at the end of the question, like,
“The economy sucks. How can the market go up when there is nothing going on out there?”
Large HHGregg investor ups stake, surprising analysts
HHGregg Inc. shares have enjoyed a spectacular runup this year. But the company’s biggest shareholder is making a
huge bet that the good times are only beginning.
SKARBECK: Tax-haven crackdown starts getting serious
If you never got around to opening that Swiss bank account, you might want to wait a bit longer—at least until after
Sept. 23. That is the date the IRS has set for any tax-evading American to come forward regarding 52,000 accounts held at
Swiss banking giant UBS under a Voluntary Disclosure program.
HAUKE: Investing lessons a turtle would love
I have learned a lot about sea turtles since last
night, and I believe a few of these things belong in any long-term discussion about investing.
INVESTING: Looming debt problems present an opportunity
Whenever this bear market bottoms—and there is a growing possibility that we will see new lows in coming months—millions of investors will be throwing all kinds of assets away for pennies on the dollar. The discounts so far could pale in comparison. So, be patient, be prudent and be ready.
INVESTING: High-frequency trading comes under scrutiny
A developing case of technology theft has shed light on the proprietary systems Goldman Sachs and other investment firms
use to make millions of dollars. A 39-year-old former employee at Goldman has been accused of stealing computer
code used in the company’s high-frequency trading system.
INVESTING: Microsoft a good bet to outperform market
In the not-too-distant past, Microsoft was the most dominant company on the planet. In 25 years, it had spawned the world’s
richest man along with products that became as ubiquitous as water.
SKARBECK: More reforms sought for target-date funds
Target-date mutual funds, a popular investment vehicle in 401(k) plans and college savings plans, have recently come under
scrutiny by Congress and regulators. Investors are in an uproar over the recent poor performance of funds nearing their target
date.
HAUKE: Lower trading volumes suggest trouble ahead
We are not in peak vacation time yet and already volume is disappearing faster than a hermit crab being chased by a group
of 10-year-old boys. This s especially troubling if you are a bull.
Retirement plans changing as employers cut costs, workers crave stability
Last fall’s Wall Street meltdown, which erased half the value of some 401(k) retirement plans, has both employers and employees
re-examining what to expect long term.
Led by educators instead of investment specialists, state teachers fund fell into $67M hole
The people overseeing the Indiana State Teachers Association Insurance Trust had no background in investments or insurance, likely leaving them ill-equipped to grasp the ever-larger amounts of complicated investments the trust was buying.
As debt weakens dollar, commodities get boost
There is one commodity that may have more potential over the next several years than all else: natural gas.