Islamic Banks, Stuffed With Cash, Explore Partnerships in West

A noted Muslim law scholar, Yusuf DeLorenzo, recently pored through the books of Continental Rail, a business that runs freight trains up and down the East Coast.

Along with examining the company’s financial health, Mr. DeLorenzo sought to make sure that the rail cars didn’t transport pork, tobacco or alcohol. He was brought in by American investment bankers who want to take rail cars bought by Continental Rail and…

 

 

https://aureus-asset.com/2013/12/26/whats-wrong-with-reits-anyway-wsj/

What’s Wrong With REITs, Anyway?

 That’s one of the clearest lessons from the Federal Reserve’s decision this Wednesday to scale back, or “taper,” its bond-buying program to $75 billion from $85 billion per month.

Between Wednesday morning and Friday’s close, stocks gained 2.1%. But real-estate investment trusts—the popular, publicly traded bundles of commercial, residential and other property—were up just…

 

https://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2013/12/20/whats-wrong-with-reits-anyway/

-A new piece from Karen that has been published on the Huffington Post webstsite.

Why the Market Keeps Going Up and Why It Might Matter to You

 

Go to www.kfirestoneblog.com to see all of Karen’s published posts.

A Commodity Business in Name and Prospects

-Deutsche Bank’s decision to ditch commodities portends just how commoditized the business may be. The German lender is quitting energy, agriculture, base metals and dry bulk trading. That should free up capital without hurting results. And while it ought to ease the pain from a deep swoon in…

Read the rest of the article here…

A Commodity Business in Name and Prospects

-From the New York Times

Barney Frank vs. Dodd-Frank

-Retired House Democrat Barney Frank is the last person on the planet you’d expect to criticize implementation of the 2010 law that bears his name. But there he was at a recent event hosted by the Clearing House trade group, suggesting that regulators ought to focus on…

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Barney Frank vs. Dodd-Frank

-From the Wall Street Journal

 

-In his third edition of the Journal’s Rules for Thanksgiving Touch Football, Scott Pollack shares with us some of the subtle, and not so subtle, rules, guidelines, and reminders that make a pre-Thanksgiving meal tradition fun, safe, and always a little bit weird…

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28 More Rules of Thanksgiving Touch Football

-Scott Pollack

-A recent record breaking art auction at Christie’s brought in roughly $142,000,000. Richard Beales of the New York Times believes there are a few lessons this auction can teach us about the world of finance.

Click below for the article…

Finance Lessons, From the World of Art Auctions

-Richard Beales

– Until recently inequality has been viewed by investors as a factor in stock picking, and not so much an indicator of economic health. Consumers with higher incomes tend to have a more optimistic view of the economy, and therefore spend more money. “If the rich are getting richer, companies that cater to them have better prospects,” says, Justin Lahart in his piece “Worry Over Inequality Occupies Wall Street“. However, that sentiment is beginning to shift. Lahart goes on to say that “some big investors have worried increasing income and wealth gaps threaten the economy’s ability to expand.” He references a recent note from Bill Gross saying, “Developed economies work best when inequality of incomes are at a minimum.” Income inequality may be inevitable in our country, but with both the inequality gap and the stock market at record levels, it may be indicating that our economy is heading in an unhealthy direction.

Click below for the article…

Worry Over Inequality Occupies Wall Street

By JUSTIN LAHART

 

-The automatic budget cuts in Washington have a not-so-surprising impact on basic government research, however, they may have a more direct impact on American business than most realize. In his article “Research Cuts Ought to Worry Business” Gerald F. Seib credits scientists like Ruth Benerito, who gave us permanent press clothing and flame-resistent furniture, as major contributors to American Business. Dr. Benerito’s inventions were a major boost to the textile and cotton industries and, Seib reminds us, that Dr. Benerito “did that while working as a government researcher, as a a chemist with the Department of Agriculture.”

Click below for the article…

Research Cuts Ought to Worry Business

By: Gerald F. Seib

 

 

https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304470504579163560464706096

 -Cash flows are moving into the stock market, mutual funds, and ETFs at a record pace. This comes as the US government avoids a debt default and fears of the Fed tapering stimulus abate. The flow of funds into Europe has also increased sharply as signs of stability begin to show around the continent

Click below for the article…

Stock Funds Rake In Cash

By
CHRIS DIETERICH