Skarbeck: Shareholders must hold fiduciaries’ feet to the fire
The economic downturn has provided shareholders an opportunity to press for change
on a variety of corporate governance issues.
Banking & Finance
Articles
Foreclosure investors shift to buy-and-hold strategy
Instead of buying and selling, investors with ready cash are buying houses at substantial markdowns, turning them into rental
properties and sitting tight until the market improves.
Commuting shifts $87 billion in Indiana
Fully 40 of Indiana’s 92 counties derived more than half of their earnings from commuters bringing back their compensation from somewhere else.
Auction-rate securities suit names Stifel’s Cohen, others
Among defendants named in a Missouri lawsuit against investment firm Stifel Nicolaus and Co. is Stifel Managing Director Jeffrey
Cohen, who is based in the company’s Indianapolis
office.
Avoid temptation to delay property tax payments
If you are late in making property tax payments, begin to chip away at your bill by making weekly payments.
Banking system’s history should help ease fears
Since people must have confidence in the financial system for it to function properly, it is incumbent upon our leaders to
take action and assure the people their money is safe.
Banks fighting heists with shrewd precautions, technology
Crime is not random, according to public safety experts, and bank security strategies focus primarily on deterrence.
Dow tightens grip on prized Indianapolis unit
Locally based Dow AgroSciences, one of Indianapolis’ top employers, may not be going on the sale block after all.
Financial crisis yields opportunity for local banks
A national study finds that many community banks continue to prosper.
Medical, tech entrepreneurs launch matchmaking effort in life sciences
Three entrepreneurs from the medical and software realms are herding angels to invest in upstart life sciences companies in
Indiana.
Investment losses leave Conseco searching for $400M in horrible environment to raise capital
Without fresh capital â?? or loosened debt obligations â?? Carmel-based Conseco could find itself in bankruptcy or looking
for a buyer or both.
Market signs finally better, but don’t get too excited
I don’t think this bear can last another 17 months, because if it did, it would have a longer life than the greatest bear
market in our history.
529 Plans remain solid vehicle
Indiana’s CollegeChoice 529 Plans offer a number of great investment options to save for children’s college costs.
Durham insider deal sparks outcry
Tim Durham is facing allegations of self-dealing after a publicly traded company he helps run in Dallas acquired assets from
a finance company he owns in Ohio.
Struggling contractors hope for sale of factory
Contractors struggling under the weight of an unfinished factory in Tipton are hoping for a quick sale to recover at least
some of the $44 million they say they’re owed by Getrag Transmission Manufacturing.
Venture capital fund launched by up-and-comers buys into Vontoo, Compendium Blogware
Several venture capitalists — a generation younger than most in the profession — are establishing themselves in Indianapolis.
Look beyond emotions when investing
As Ben Graham said in his Mr. Market allegory: “The market is there to serve you, not guide you.”
Pension merger raises questions
We’re generally supportive of a plan to merge the state’s two largest public pensions in an effort to save money, but it’s
hard to know exactly what to think considering the lack of detailed information available about the performance of the funds.
PERF confusion
I am not at all sure that a merger of two public pension plans is not a good idea, possibly just not under current investment management auspices.
Fearful companies are curtailing employee insurance, retirement perks
Experts worry that if unemployment worsens, even more companies could be forced to cut benefits, especially health insurance.