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The article reports the slowing U.S. economy is putting pension plans at risk. Plan portfolios, holding mainly stocks, have taken steep losses. Also, companies are squeezed by regulations, under which they must pay for funding shortfalls in their plans. The largest plans are not fully meeting their obligations, and fund managers can cut benefits or raise employer contributions only so much. Without government help, the author says many plans will fail and taxpayers will pay for the consequences.

The article discusses the prospect of financial recovery regarding the U.S. credit crisis and speculates the recovery process could grind on for many years. The failure of IndyMac, the disinterest of the U.S. stock exchange regarding the restructuring of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the stock failures of Lehman Brothers are also discussed. INSET: THE LEVERAGE MULTIPLIER.

The article discusses the 2008 stock and credit market turmoil, highlighting the buyout of Bear Stearns by JPMorgan Chase to prevent bankruptcy. Concerns are raised regarding the possibility of the collapse of another investment bank and the effect it would have on the securities market. The U.S. Federal Reserve Board's role in the subprime mortgage crisis is noted. Companies such as Citigroup have taken billions of dollars in writedowns.

The article reports on the financial mismanagement leading to the bankruptcies of two Bear Stearns hedge funds in July 2007. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York are investigating the funds. The funds lost $1.6 billion in investor equity, and the manager of the funds, Ralph R. Cioffi, will seek to prove that his comments about the funds' performance were not misleading.

The article focuses on the U.S. economy in 2007. Particular attention is given to the stability of the securities market, as well as the economical conditions of the home loan sector. Article topics include insurance rates, private equity deals between buyout firms, the investment techniques of American buyers, and the value of hedge funds and U.S. stocks in August. The author offers a review of how the securities and home loan sectors conducted their business since 2005. INSET: A GROWING SUBPRIME WEB.

This article reports on a downward turn in the stock market since late July 2007 and discusses how the liquidity issues of American Home Mortgage Investment Corp. may signal falloffs beyond the subprime mortgage industry into the broader equity market. The weakened investment and equity in hedge funds, bonds used in leveraged buyouts, and other profit drivers for lenders is contrasted with larger firms holding onto strong credit ratings.

The article details the June 2007 hedge fund collapse of top Wall Street financial firm Bear Stearns & Co. and tries to determine what effect the loss will have on this and other top Wall Street firms and the economy. The loss was in collateralized debt obligations (CDOs), created at the height of the mortgage boom, which yield well in good times but are unstable in shakier times. Experts agree that if the firms hold on to the CDOs, both Bear Stearns and the market for them should recover.

This article reports on the effects of mortgage defaults and sinking stocks on the manufacturing industry. General Motors posted its highest profits since 2004, however, the news was overshadowed by a $651 million shortfall in its subprime mortgage unit. On March 13, 2007 the Mortgage Bankers Association. reported record percentages of foreclosures. The author calls the biggest winners in all of this the top lenders who sold shares before the collapse.

The article looks at Bank of America's decision to take over of Merrill Lynch, which has not helped the company's financial troubles, despite additional assistance from the U.S. federal bailout program. The market value of Merrill Lynch before and after its acquisition is noted. Bank of America's purchase of Countrywide Financial and LaSalle Bank are also discussed. INSET: ON THE DOLE.

The article examines the probability that large banks will fail due to financial losses in the U.S. market, and ponders whether such an occurrence would force the federal government to intervene. The author examines how firms such as New York's Lehman Brothers are experiencing severe financial difficulties and quotes a J.P. Morgan Securities estimation that market losses could equal $2 trillion. Also discussed are the financial actions of the U.S. firm Citigroup.

The article reports that financial service companies are lobbying for U.S. legislation which would allow them to purchase and manage frozen corporate pension plans, which are corporate pension trusts which no longer accept new members, but are still obligated to past members. The proposal is meeting resistance from persons inside and outside Congress who note the financial services industry's role in the financial crisis caused by the collapse of the U.S. housing bubble. INSET: THE PENSION PROBLEM.

The article discusses the state of the economy in the wake of financial crisis in the U.S. While investors are relieved that the worst is over, financial markets are facing a period of healing which will involve an increase in corporate defaults and bankruptcies. The problems related to banks not wanting to lend money and investors who are wary of corporate debt are explained.

This article reports on ACA Financial Guaranty and the role that bond insurers had in the subprime mortgage crisis in 2008. The article discusses the history of ACA to its collapse in December 2007, noting how it's guarantees of securities and subprime assets will have a long-term effect on economic conditions in the United States. Information on bond ratings and securities insurance in general is also provided.

Discusses the budgetary problems encountered by the City University of New York in New York City. Information on the reduction of the state funding of the public university; Actions taken by the public university to deal with its budgetary problems; Strategies of public universities to help students deal with tuition increase.

The article discusses securitization markets and their impact on the financial crises in the U.S. The U.S. Federal Reserve created a $1 trillion campaign to revitalize the structured finance market which is where cash-flow producing financial assets are pooled and repackaged to be sold to investors. The U.S. banking system is beginning to turn around as bank lending is rising.

The article discusses the actions taken by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against the investment manager R. Allen Stanford. Despite a three-year investigation into Stanford's business, the article states, the SEC did not bring charges against Stanford in 2009 until after the eruption of a similar scandal against financier Bernard Madoff.

This article discusses the continuing liabilities faced by investors with Bernard L. Madoff as an investigation into an alleged Ponzi scheme complicates bankruptcy proceedings against the financier. The investment policy used by Madoff, which channeled money through feeder hedge funds such as the Rye Select Broad Market Fund managed by the Tremont Group, is considered. The possibility that investors will be required to repay gains resulting from the alleged fraud is considered.

This article discusses the implications of an alleged Ponzi scheme run by financier Bernard L. Madoff for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Claims that the SEC is understaffed and unable to seriously investigate the investment policies of a company like Madoff's are analysed. The positions of companies such as the accounting firm Avellino & Bienes, which raised funds for Madoff during an earlier SEC investigation of his dealings, are also considered.

The article reports on bailout money given by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board to U.S. banks. Taxpayers in the U.S. may be at risk due to the amount of money the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve Board are giving to banks in an attempt to fix the financial crisis. This is because the central bank may end up having to print more money if the loans given to banks do not save them, which could lead to inflation. INSET: MOVING MONEY.

The article reports on the bear market that most investors believe the U.S. market to be in and their increasingly pessimistic economic forecasts for the upcoming months. Signs seen by investors as pointing to a bleak future for the market are poor economic growth, rising unemployment, and inflation. Also mentioned in the article are investment options that shield investors from market volatility.

The article discusses the success of JPMorgan Chase and its Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon amidst the credit crisis that is negatively affecting other banks, including Bank of America and Citigroup. According to the author, the firing of Wachovia CEO Ken Thompson and the fact that JPMorgan's market value is highest among banks for the first time since 2001 are indicators of JPMorgan's success. The competition JPMorgan may eventually face from foreign banks is also discussed.

The article discusses the impact of the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis on the average consumer. The announcement of a combined $6 billion coverage for potential consumer loan defaults by Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase has increased the fear that the U.S. economy is on the verge of recession. Lowered home prices has cut off the ability for consumers to draw on the equity of their homes and banks are tightening their lending standards leading consumers to fall into debt.

The article discusses the implications and details of a fund created by large U.S banks to purchase structured investment vehicles (SIV). The impact of the U.S. credit crisis and subprime lending on SIVs is discussed, along with possible negative consequences of the megafund plan for SIVs and other collateralized debt obligations. INSETS: HOW A SUBPRIME LOAN INFECTS AN SIV;WHO'S UP & DOWN ON WALL STREET.

The article discusses whether Bear, Stearns & Co. understated the risks of two hedge funds that eventually collapsed, High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies and High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies Enhanced. Prospectuses for the funds outlined the risks involved, but some investors say representatives of Bear, Stearns verbally downplayed those risks while describing the funds to be as safe as a typical bank account. Several investors have lodged complaints against the firm.

The article reports that the U.S. financial market damage done by the subprime mortgage market is spreading into hedge funds, commercial banks, and investment banks by association. Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Brad Hintz predicts that the subprime market will cause earnings reductions for Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, and Morgan Stanley. Goldman Sachs incurred losses on trades in the ABX subprime index. Professor Nouriel Roubini says half of 2006 loans are in trouble.

The article reports on Citigroup Inc. and its financial troubles. Citigroup has taken $44 billion from private investors and the U.S. Treasury gave it $45 billion in order to save it from failure. However, the bank is still performing poorly with shares down by 76% and a large number of analysts and investors calling for the U.S. government to nationalize it so that it will stop hurting the banking index.

The article discusses the move by investment banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to convert themselves into commercial banks regulated by the U.S. federal government. Topics include ways in which the firms have scaled back to reduce their financial losses such as selling assets to raise capital, and a brief discussion on how strict the U.S. Federal Reserve Board should be regarding setting leverage limits.

The article discusses the uncertain future of the company ACA Capital, a bond insurer, following a deal that was created by ACA's creditors and regulators. The author explains that, following the downgrading of ACA's credit rating, the firm has not been able to pay out on policies it sold to Wall Street banks. The new deal states that the banks will forego those payments in exchange for a share of profits derived from other policies ACA wrote for municipal bonds.

The article discusses the detrimental effect rumors have had on U.S. financial stocks. The effects have prompted the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to launch an investigation regarding the spread of rumors, which many think will be fruitless. A bleak business environment and changing financial reports from banks like Lehman Brothers have contributed to the spread of rumors.

This article focuses on the U.S. investment firm Bear Stearns. The article explains that Bearn Stearns has been buying life insurance policies from the elderly to resell and is one of the first investment firms to do so. In March 2008, its bankers started marketing a $100 million deal to institutions. JPMorgan Chase, the future owner of Bear Stearns, will not comment.

This article reports on the collapse of bond insurer ACA Financial Guaranty and how it was connected to a downgrade by credit-rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P). In December 2007, S&P dropped ACA's rating from an A to a CCC after analyzing its losses and subprime investments. The article also discusses how ACA tried to financially compensate for the drop, why the downgrade should have occurred sooner, and how it relates to economic conditions in the U.S.

The article discusses investments in distressed debt funds. Subprime mortgage troubles in the U.S. economy have left many investment pools with unstable mortgages and slashed prices. Wilbur L. Ross Jr., chairman of WL Ross & Co., has agreed to put $50 million into the now bankrupt American Home Mortgage Investment Corp. Ocwen Financial Corp. and Angelo, Gordon & Co. will invest up to $300 million in the mortgage industry. INSET: The Vultures' Prey.

This article examines the business of securities lending. This lucrative section of Wall Street has been subject to a long running criminal investigation that is beginning to bear fruit as federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York appear to be close to bringing charges against several individuals alleged to have been involved in a complex kickback scheme. Some of the companies who are alleged to be involved include Bear Stearns, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Merrill Lynch.

The article presents the consequences of attempts by the Nasdaq Stock Market to buy the London Stock Exchange. It is reported that NASDAQ stock has dropped thirty percent while other markets such as the New York Stock Exchange have grown significantly. Predictions of future market directions and perspectives on possible future practices by NASDAQ are given.

The article discusses the growing number of hedge fund managers expanding their operations into private equity deals. The author contends that hedge fund managers need to boost their own performance, and what better way than to take advantage of the number of dollars flowing into private equity. The article discusses the issues hedge fund managers may encounter with timing and returns for investors, as well as debt assumed by private companies.