Multi-line Insurance

To start our market update, there’s some good news on the unemployment front in America.  First time jobless claims in the United States dropped by 14,000 last week, to 442,000 total.  The number is above what economists had predicted for the market, as they were expecting the initial unemployment...

To start our market update, there’s some good news on the unemployment front in America.  First time jobless claims in the United States dropped by 14,000 last week, to 442,000 total.  The number is above what economists had predicted for the market, as they were expecting the initial unemployment...

Sales of existing homes fell for the third straight week, but it wasn’t as bad as analysts expected. This news is pushing the SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB) lower by .07 cents to 16.73. Out of the box this morning we saw traders buying risk reversals in VALE (NYSE: VALE) and heavy volume in...

The Congressional committee on housing, the Federal Housing Committee, is meeting today to decide what the next move is with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  The government nationalized the two massive companies during the housing crisis and they have helped stabilize the housing market since then, in...

The Congressional committee on housing, the Federal Housing Committee, is meeting today to decide what the next move is with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  The government nationalized the two massive companies during the housing crisis and they have helped stabilize the housing market since then, in...

The United States’ House of Representatives approved the long awaited and highly controversial Health Care reform bill late Sunday by a vote of 219-212.  The bill, which will cost an estimated $940 billion over ten years, will extend health care insurance to 32 million uninsured and underinsured...

The United States’ House of Representatives approved the long awaited and highly controversial Health Care reform bill late Sunday by a vote of 219-212.  The bill, which will cost an estimated $940 billion over ten years, will extend health care insurance to 32 million uninsured and underinsured...

• AIG (NYSE: AIG) former CEO Greenberg reached a deal with UBS (NYSE: UBS) to sell most of his shares in AIG, an estimated 10 million shares, for $278.2 million • Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) said it continues to see full-year earnings of $4.80-$5.00 • FBR raised its rating on Waddell & Reed (...

During the last month, I had two friends call me to say hat their banks had lowered their credit cards limits to their current balances. One of them told me that he had called up his bank to ask for a credit line increase and they told him that they couldn't give him an increase but would actually...

Bloomberg reports that in response to requests under the Freedom of Information Act, the Treasury Department has refused to disclose the names of the executives of Citigroup, Inc.(NYSE: C), who had bargained about the bailout terms in late 2008. This was necessitated as the bank had expressed its...

The concerns over the Greece debt situation are having an effect on the Euro’s trading price.  The EU’s currency is having its worst week since January of this year.  Investors have reacted conservatively after news that the Balkan state seems likely to seek a bailout from either the Eurozone or...

The concerns over the Greece debt situation are having an effect on the Euro’s trading price.  The EU’s currency is having its worst week since January of this year.  Investors have reacted conservatively after news that the Balkan state seems likely to seek a bailout from either the Eurozone or...

Even as data suggested the economy is improving at a slow but gradual pace, investors were reluctant to buy stocks as potential policy changes and fresh signs of trouble in Greece kept sentiments jittery.  However, the Dow average rose for an eighth straight day, its longest winning run since...

It was announced that Ratiopharm had accepted a bid from Teva for about $5 billion. The combined company will have a strong presence in Europe as Ratiopharm is the #2 generic drug maker in Germany. Despite the positive news, the iShares Biotech ETF (IBB) is lagging the markets this week, off 0.4%...

The black cloud hanging over the financial services sector for much of the past two years is beginning to evaporate. Financial stocks rallied recently, and wise investors are giving the sector a fresh look. We’ve discussed the financial sector at length, noting that successful stock-picking...