Competitiveness Shock in France?

The government of French President Francois  Hollande  deserves credit for its decision last week to cut payroll taxes.  Unfortunately, by itself, the 20 billion euro ($25 billion) reduction in costs for companies won’t administer the “competitiveness shock” that a dire, government-commissioned study recommended Nov. 5 to revive growth.  Article

Is the Independent Foreclosure Review Independent?

.Rebecca Mairone, then at Bank of America, testifies to the Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 18, 2010. Mairone now heads JPMorgan Chase’s involvement in the Independent Foreclosure Review. (Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

An executive who the Justice Department says facilitated a scheme to defraud Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is now spearheading JPMorgan Chase’s role in the government’s program to compensate victims of the big banks’ abusive foreclosure practices. Article

 

Muriel Siebert High Water Women Campaign for Financial Literacy

The High Water Women Foundation is a charitable organization founded in 2005 by senior women in the Hedge Fund Industry. Their mission is to empower women and youth in need by creating powerful volunteer opportunities that leverage the talents and aspirations of professional women.

An exciting program provides financial literacy programs for teens in New York. We attended the first of four classes at the Fort Washington Public Library in upper Manhattan on November 8.  Article

Financial Literacy Program

Highwaterwomen.org

 

 

Do Actions Against Individual Traders for Fraud Mask Systemic Problems at Institutions

Commodities Futures Trading Association charges ex-Goldman Sachs employee.
The CFTC complaint did not name Goldman but referred to Taylor’s employer at the time of the suspected fraud only as a “large Futures Commission merchant.”
However, broker records from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Wall Street’s industry funded regulator, showed that Taylor was discharged from Goldman in December 2007 for “alleged conduct related to inappropriately large proprietary futures positions in a firm trading account.  Article