LinkedIn is Not Worth $8.9 billion

Normally I am loathe to write about a specific stock.  My usual focus is on equity investments for what they really are: partial ownership of a business. But LinkedIn (ticker: LNKD) shares soared in their first day of trading yesterday 104.4% (= $94.24 close ÷ $45 IPO...

New Ratings Agency Rules From the SEC

As part of the implementation of the Dodd-Frank financial industry overhaul, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) yesterday proposed new rules for credit ratings agencies.  These are not the agencies that rate consumer credit.  No, these are the folks who...

Silver Market’s Rise Due to Chinese Speculation

Yesterday morning the Financial Times ran a story about Chinese retail investors being the source of the rocketing prices for silver worldwide.  I have been saying nationally that commodities are in a bubble.  Want proof of the froth? On the Shanghai Gold Exchange,...