Online Journal May, 2010

May
31
2010

Written by:
Shali Zhu

Consumer Optimism: Unwarranted or Inevitable?

On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended this May down 7.9% for the month, its largest monthly decline since February 2009 and the biggest percentage drop for May since 1940. However, the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan gauge of consumer sentiment showed that consumers’ view of the state of the U.S. economy actually became more optimistic in May. Between April and May of this year, the gauge rose 1.4, from 72.2 in April to 73.6 this month. According to an article by the Wall Street Journal, the rise in consumer optimism is derived entirely from consumers’ more positive outlook regarding the direction of the economy. But with stock prices swinging wildly and all three major markets – Dow Jones Industrial Average, NASDAQ Composite, and S&P 500 Index – in the red for the year, is this consumer optimism misplaced?

May
28
2010

Written by:
Thomas Loeffler

1,000 Point Market Swings: The Evolution of Interdependence

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow) swung nearly 1,000 points last week, according to Daily Finance. On Monday, May 17th, the Dow reached a daily high of 10,760.50 while bottoming at a daily low on Friday, May 21st at 9,860.93. The Dow is closely followed by many as an index representing the overall trend of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The recent volatility in the market has to raise questions as to the type of events which have made two hundred point swings in closing prices a norm. Of late, the Greek debt crisis and the uncertainty of the Euro have to be at the top of the list. Events such as the riots in Greece which have caused dramatic shifts in the stock markets across the globe can be seen as the prime example of where the world of business has been heading.

May
26
2010

Written by:
Jimmy Connolly

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May
26
2010

Written by:
Shali Zhu

The Consumer Side of Financial Reform

You know that the financial regulation bills recently passed by the House and the Senate are targeted primarily toward reforming the way business is done on Wall Street, but how does the passage of these pieces of legislation affect consumers like you? In order to answer this question, we need to first take a look at the two versions of the financial reform bill.

May
24
2010

Written by:
Wade Senti

There’s nothing ‘American’ about British Petroleum

The scene that has unraveled over the past few weeks is to say the least – disturbing. History has once again repeated itself – with the disaster of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and now the oil spill of 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico immediately affecting the coastal regions of the gulf. Yet, this time nearly 75 percent of the globe will feel the effects in some way or another over the long-term.

April 20, 2010 may have changed the world for the worst – altering our oceans far more than global warming, over-fishing, or any form of waste disposal. The ‘geyser’ which has continued to spew thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico should have been plugged weeks ago.

May
23
2010

Written by:
Thomas Loeffler

TARP: The Taxpayers’ Obligations?

The past few years have not passed by quietly. The election of our current President stirred up conversations in homes across the globe. A dramatic recession and its effects combined with a new health care package have left strong impressions, some of which are still uncertain. Hefty pieces of legislation are being passed more quickly than the public, let alone our congressmen, can keep up with. As with most reform policies approved by Congress, much of the impact will not be seen until years after the bill has been passed. Lurking amidst conversations with the proposal of the new financial overhaul bill is the larger portion of legislation and its parts lost in translation.

May
21
2010

Written by:
Gautam K Sawhney

NYU Students Creating Privacy-Controlled Social Net

With the hundreds of users logging-in and sharing data, it is no shock that Facebook is trying to take full advantage of the aggregated data Facebook users create daily. Consequently, Facebook has been making questionable privacy modifications to its user policy such as, using personal information to target advertisements. A lot of daily users overlook the privacy changes and are not aware of how public their personal information may be to recruiters, employers, and companies.

May
18
2010

Written by:
Wade Senti

Sports Business: The King James Affect

Among the major sports leagues [NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, PGA), nearly $16 billion is generated annually, realizing a sizable portion to the national GDP (Hoovers). These leagues are dominated by captivating figures including Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Derek Jeter, Peyton Manning, and of course -- Lebron James.

These individuals are not only excellent athletic performers, but are to a greater extent an image – of franchises, cities, and a collective people, allowing stakeholders to capitalize on their marketability, creating value regionally, nationally, but also globally. It may surprise some that Kobe Bryant is the most marketable basketball player globally today. This marketability and popularity is largely due to championships.

May
14
2010

Written by:
Wade Senti

The Terminator – Will he be ‘Backkk’?

As Arnold Schwarzenegger’s final term in office comes to a close many are wondering what his next challenge will be – perhaps back to the big screen, another political position, philanthropy, or a unique business proposition?

Likely a return to the big screen could be in-store, since his debut in Hercules in New York, his films have grossed well over $1.5 billion over there lifetime (Box Office Mojo).

For fans – this could be a treat, considering the availability of unique projects in the future. As of recent, Schwarzenegger has appeared briefly (one line) in the up and coming film The Expendables, which stars a wide-array of former ‘action heroes’ including Sylvester Stallone.

For someone who has dabbled in business, professional sport (bodybuilding), politics and philanthropy (Presidents’ Council on Physical Fitness and Sports) – this ‘midlife’ point could be the best opportunity to try something entirely new.

May
12
2010

Written by:
Shali Zhu

Friendlier Private Student Loans

College students who have educational loans from private lenders could be looking forward to a more borrower-friendly environment if two recent pieces of Congressional legislation are passed. The first helping hand comes from the financial regulation bill under consideration in the Senate and the House. Although the Senate and the House are debating different versions of the bill, both versions of this key piece of legislation are promoting a consumer protection entity that would address borrower complaints about unfair private student loan practices and supervise the underwriting policies of private lenders. The second layer of protection comes in the form of the Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2010, which will allow for some of a borrower’s private student loans to be discharged if the person files for bankruptcy.

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