Wall Street & Technology: Blog

TGIF: What Is That Banker Looking At?

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:46:28 -0500

An oblivious investment banker is looking at pictures of model Miranda Kerr without realizing he's been caught on the local news...Check out this Break.com video around 1'05"...

Using the Super Bowl to Predict Markets

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:14:50 -0500

Strange as it may sound, there are some who say the Super Bowl winner may be a good indicator of where the stock market is headed. But also remember, one economist drew a correlation between the amount of butter being produced in Bangladesh and the performance of the markets. My take? There probably isn�t any truth to it. More likely, these correlations just give us journalists something to blog about. Mark Hulbert of Dow Jones MarketWatch discusses the correlations.

Low-Latency Not Required: Trading Stock for Food

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:12:32 -0500

The famous New York steakhouse Smith & Wollensky's is allowing patrons to trade stock for food. A stock certificate for a share of Goldman Sachs will likely get you a juicy porterhouse or two. A share of Citi? Maybe a half a baked potato, according to this amusing audio clip from American Public Media

Algos Gone Wild (video)

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:57:35 -0500

In this video clip, Larry Tabb, founder and CEO of TABB Group, talks to Advanced Trading editor-in-chief Kerry Massaro about how likely it really is that an algo could go wild and bring down the market. He also focuses on new trends in the algorithmic trading space, including how new algos are now trying to execute blocks.

TGIF: Why Is The Evening News So Boring? (video)

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:30:27 -0500

BBC reporter Chris Booker gives a special report on every boring special report that you've ever seen on the news.

How To Report The News - Watch more Funny Videos

Bankers Get the Cold Shoulder in Davos

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:52:32 -0500

The atmosphere inside the World Economic Forum is warm and congenial. But bankers are feeling the chill wind of disapproval. Bankers are arguing that all of the new regulations � on both sides of the Atlantic � will cost jobs and reduce credit. But in the current global economic recession, bankers seem tone deaf to the realities of the world in which they live. Regulators and the public are wary that "too big to fail" banks could again cause another financial crisis. American Public Media�s Stephen Beard reports from Davos.

iPad: Will It Become a Must-Have Tool for the Capital Markets?

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:35:44 -0500

After months of hype, the world has finally been able to check out Apple�s new iPad, a 9.7-inch touch-screen tablet, which will let users play games, check email and read books, and is basically a cross between an iPhone and a laptop computer.

While Apple is of course marketing its tablet as the latest �must-have� gadget, should business users � and in particular, the capital markets industry, be paying attention?

Yes, say the experts.

AIG and Backdoor Bailouts?

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:02:21 -0500

WSJ's Dennis Berman tells Kelsey Hubbard about ongoing investigations into the bailout of AIG, including allegations of a coverup over payments made to some of the biggest banks who had exposure to the collapsed insurer. Was there a conspiracy to pay banks in full, but not make the news of the payments public? But the big questions: where was the Fed when AIG was writing the toxic contracts in the first place? Where was the oversight as AIG took on more and more excessive risk?

Executive Bonuses: What Will Regulators Do Next? (video)

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:00:13 -0500

In this video clip, Larry Tabb, CEO and founder of TABB Group, focuses on potential regulations regarding executive compensation. He also tells WS&T's Greg MacSweeney that if U.S. regulators levy a tax on bonuses they could cause a brain drain, but that Wall Street must nevertheless show more sensitivity to the markets.

What They're Really Doing in Davos

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:51:17 -0500

Some of the world's most high-powered people are meeting in Davos for the World Economic Forum (WEF) not to make decisions, but to get to know each other and face the problems together. But critics say the WEF is more about having political leaders bloat their egos than actually accomplishing anything meaningful. American Public Media�s Steve Chiotakis gets a brief overview of Davos from Marketplace's Stephen Beard, who is at the event. The main focus of the event is economic and financial reform. One interesting note: bankers, who stayed away from Davos 2009, have returned and will be lobbying against bank reform.

High Stakes, Pressure in Davos

So, What�s Really Happening?

FDIC May Securitize Bad Assets

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:32:13 -0500

Each time the government seizes a failed bank, taxpayers own more of them. So with five banks recently seized by regulators, what's the FDIC going to do with all those bad assets? It turns out the FDIC is planning on securitizing the assets and selling it off to investors. Sound familiar? But before you think this is just another bad move, the FDIC actually had great success with this in the 1980s and early 1990s. American Public Media�s Jeremy Hobson reports.

Volcker Speaks Out On Financial Innovation (video)

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:52:23 -0500

In this WSJ video, economic adviser Paul Volcker gives his views on financial innovation: "I hear about wonderful innovation in the financial markets. But I'll tell you too, credit default swaps and CDO's took us right to the brink of disaster. Were they wonderful innovations we want to create more of? You want boards of directors to be informed about all these innovative products, and understand them. I don't know what boards of directors you're talking about. I have been on boards of directors. The chances that they're going to understand these products that you're dishing out, or you're going to want to explain them, frankly, is nil. Wake up, gentlemen."

A Few Ideas For Obama On Financial Regulation (video)

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:56:45 -0500

WSJ's Jason Zweig discusses President Obama's plan to curb excessive risk taking at big banks, as well as his proposals for better financial regulation.

SEC Debates Sponsored Access Ban (video)

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:08:09 -0500

Regulators are examining sponsored access, which allows high-speed traders and others to trade directly on exchanges. Larry Tabb, CEO and founder of TABB Group, talks to Advanced Trading Editor-in-Chief Kerry Massaro about the implications of the SEC's proposed ban of sponsored, or naked, access.

TGIF: Wall Street Bonuses Under Fire

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:00:56 -0500

In this Daily Show video clip, Jon Stewart focuses on record unemployment rates and Wall Street bonuses. As Stewart says: "I guess the only real difference between bankers and movie stars is when Nick Cage lost all his money, I didn�t have to bail him out."