This and That On dot Net

Raghuram Rajan accurately warned central bankers in 2005 of a potential financial crisis if banks lost confidence in each other. Now the International Monetary Fund’s former chief economist says the Federal Reserve should consider raising rates, even as almost 10 percent of the U.S. workforce remains unemployed.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-08-23/bernanke-must-raise-benchmark-2-points-in-latest-rajan-warning.html

Senator Jack Reed, a senior Democrat on the Banking Committee, said he is “optimistic” lawmakers will pass a measure overhauling U.S. financial regulations even as panel chairman Christopher Dodd said negotiations with Republicans were blocked.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-05/reed-says-he-s-optimistic-u-s-regulatory-overhaul-will-pass.html

Comptroller of the Currency John Dugan said he’s concerned a Senate bill to overhaul Wall Street regulation would make consumer protection a higher priority than the need to preserve banks’ financial stability.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-17/comptroller-dugan-says-he-s-concerned-about-dodd-bill-update1-.html

Nouriel Roubini, the New York University professor who predicted the financial crisis, said a rescue plan for Greece by the International Monetary Fund would have been “cleaner” than the deal endorsed yesterday by leaders of the 16-nation euro region.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-26/roubini-says-imf-package-for-greece-would-be-cleaner-update1-.html

Senator Christopher Dodd said he will release a proposal for new rules to govern financial companies later this month after bipartisan talks reached “an impasse” that could thwart regulatory reform efforts in Washington.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-06/dodd-to-push-regulatory-reform-bill-amid-bipartisan-impasse-.html

Hedge-fund managers and investors gathered in Monaco this week said an overhaul of the U.K.’s financial regulator and new rules proposed by the European Union may prove as hard to navigate as volatile financial markets.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-18/hedge-fund-survival-skills-to-be-tested-by-increased-regulation.html

The U.S. Senate today approved a change to financial-overhaul legislation strengthening language aimed at ending taxpayer-funded bailouts as Democrats seek to attract Republican support for the broader bill.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-05/u-s-senate-approves-anti-bailout-amendment-to-financial-bill.html

Senator Blanche Lincoln’s measure requiring banks to push their swaps trading desks to separate units will be in the final financial-regulation bill in some form, Representative Barney Frank said today.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-22/lincoln-swaps-measure-s-essence-will-be-in-bill-frank-says.html

Senator Richard Shelby, a lead negotiator on a financial-rules bill, said Republicans will block Democrats’ efforts to begin debate on the measure in a test vote today, saying the move would give them more leverage.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-26/shelby-says-republicans-will-block-rules-bill-in-vote-update1-.html

Is greed good for the movie business? If regulators give their OK, within months movies could be trading on financial markets, with investors placing bets on which films will be the next summer blockbuster. Hollywood has its doubts, with the Motion Picture Association of America and others fighting …

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/investing/insights/blog/archives/2010/04/film_bigs_bid_t.html