Jan. 3–California Attorney General Bill Lockyer announced Friday that his office will launch an investigation into whether three large mutual fund companies in the state defrauded investors byfailing to disclose deals with brokers that ensured preferential treatment for the companies’ […]

SEC has its cleanup work cut out for it Normally, agencies avoid controversial decisions in an election year By STEPHEN LABATON New York Times Friday, January 2, 2004 Washington — Defying a quadrennial tradition here, the Securities and Exchange Commission […]

In last year’s office pool, for the second year running, I accurately predicted the best picture Oscar winner. Forget all of the other predictions, which were varying degrees of mistaken; I shouldabeen a film critic. The multiple choices include one, […]

William Safire Predictions: Flawed but fun By WILLIAM SAFIRE The New York Times Thursday, January 1, 2004 In last year’s office pool, for the second year running, I accurately predicted the Oscar winner for best picture. Forget all of the […]

Strong to cut some employee benefits Decision not to contribute to retirement plans in 2004 a sign of scandal’s toll By KATHLEEN GALLAGHER [email protected], Journal Sentinel Thursday, January 1, 2004 Strong Financial Corp. informed employees this week it is cutting […]

HEDGE fund firm Lansdowne Partners, run by former Merrill Lynch fund manager Stuart Roden, has picked up three million shares or 3% of 119 million central European gas and oil exploration companyRegal Petroleum. Regal has recently built a pipeline connecting […]

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) – Dutch bank ABN Amro Holdings NV said Wednesday that it has reached a preliminary agreement to sell its U.S.-based trade execution and clearing services business toMerrill Lynch & Co. for an undisclosed sum. In a statement, […]

MADE IN CHINA THE NEW INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION Last of four parts China’s push to modernize began with manufacturing. Now the country wants to move toward creating, designing and innovating. With more engineering graduates than the U.S., Japan and Germany combined, […]

This year looks like ending on a high note. The FTSE 100 index closed yesterday at its highest point for 17 months. It has risen for eight consecutive trading days, its best performance for more thanfour years. The doomsayers and […]

. . . American-style The man with the $6,000 shower curtain – former chairman and chief executive of Tyco Dennis Kozlowski – is on trial with his former finance director for stealing $600m of company cash. US domestic goddess Martha […]

Many investors are wondering what to do about owning a U.S. mutual fund from an asset manager embroiled in the scandal that has rocked the industry since September. The misdeeds range from allowinghedge funds to trade inappropriately, and sometimes illegally, […]

Dec. 30–Although Thailand has not implemented International Accounting Standard 39 (IAS 39), the recent Thai Accounting Standards are based on and are similar to IAS. It is therefore highlyplausible that the main accounting principles within IAS 39 are likely to […]