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THE downfall of Bear Stearns, the release of Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's sweeping blueprint for the overhaul of our financial regulatory structure, and the worsening health of the stock market […]

In corporate boardrooms across America, they're warning that the sky is falling -- again. Shareholders have heard this before, and it has usually been about money: companies resisted new rules […]

As four government agencies and six committees of Congress begin to investigate the Enron failure, it's important to recognize that this is not just about Enron and its auditor, Arthur […]

Pessimism over New York City's future runs deep. Most people predict a continued exodus of businesses and taxpayers. Apparently the experts have not visited Pittsburgh, which has made a strong […]

LEAD: What is the condition of New York City's West Side waterfront? In a word, paralyzed. The replacement for the old West Side Highway remains unbuilt. The old one continues […]

The author argues against limiting high-frequency trading, which is dominated by superfast computing and trading by advanced algorithms. He considers high-frequency trading as the next stage in the ongoing technological innovation of financial markets. He discusses the advantages of such trading, including better margins in executing trades and add up to significant value when done in large volume.

The author talks about the apparent need for better oversight to U.S. municipal bonds. In the author's opinion, neglect by government officials in taking the municipal bond market into consideration as they revise the financial regulatory structure may result into a major error. He stresses the importance of an industry-wide oversight and adds that only the bankers and others who sell such bonds have been reviewed by the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board. Stronger accountability standards are also cited as a measure to regulate the market.

The author recommends that in the complexity of products, market and investment strategies in the U.S. demand a laser-like focus on risk assessment. Accordingly, the leadership of the regulatory agency must identify the largest risk to investors and to the entire system and thereby aim the resources on these riskiest businesses. The author hopes the swindle involving Bernard Madoff will finally compel a fundamental reform of the financial regulatory structure that truly protects the investors and maintain a free and fair markets.

The authors assert that the U.S. financial crisis can be remedied by fixing financial reporting. They criticize some financial institutions for lobbying the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to suspend the fair-value accounting standard and to oppose any expansion of it. They explain the benefits of fair-value reporting to investors and to the credit market. They believe that financial institutions that made poor investments and strategic decisions should be blamed for the financial crisis.

The author comments on lack of oversight as the reason for the securities market turmoil. He argues that fundamental failures in oversight at almost all levels, and not regulatory excesses, are to be blamed for the market chaos. He cites several reasons for the market turmoil, including changes in the lending business, strong ratings given to new securitized debt instruments by credit rating agencies and the lack of transparency for investors. He urges the adoption of best practices in risk management and to disclose these practices to investors.

The author expresses views on the subprime mortgage crisis in the U.S. He says that the crisis share the same root causes with the Enron corporate scandals which includes conflicts of interests and a lack of accountability. Also stressed is the need for more transparency in the market for structured financial instruments. He suggests that the crisis should be viewed as an opportunity to strengthen the financial system as the capital markets grow more complex and global.

The author comments on the development of accounting standards by the U.S. Financial Accounting Standards Board and the U.S. Governmental Accounting Standards Board.

The article discusses several issues on shareholder democracy and corporate governance as addressed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

This article explains that the issue of whether the U.S. can adapt its regulatory structures to catch up with rapid globalization and technological innovation is the real challenge in the prospective merger between New York Stock Exchange and Euronext.

The article reflects on the proposed exemption of microcap and small public companies from Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the U.S.

Discusses concerns over the provision of pensions for employees in the public and private sectors in the U.S.

Assesses the disadvantages of the creation of private savings accounts out of traditional Social Security as proposed by U.S. President George W. Bush.

Presents an opinion on the changes in CEO leadership and corporate culture brought about by corporate scandals in the U.S.

Presents views on executive compensation and the culture of CEO dominance and corporate board adaptability.

Focuses on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, a corporate reform legislation passed by the U.S. Congress in 2002.

Discusses the actions taken by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to improve rules on corporate disclosure and ameliorate conflicts of interest among companies, their accounts and lawyers.

Opinion. Studies the implications of default on US municipal bonds. Importance of municipal bonds; Relations between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the municipal bond market; Problems in the municipal bond market in 1994.