Ed Ditmire,Capital Markets Analyst at Macquarie Group Limited,thinks the NASDAQ/OMX Group,the Times Square-based stock exchange,is characterized by efficiency and lower growth,with an equity emphasis.It is pressured by the forthcoming merger of Deutsche Boerse-NYSE/Euronext,but seems to be more of a target than an acquirer.
A large Asian exchange such as Hong Kong may go after NASDAQ/OMX.After all,Hong Kong uses the NASDAQ trading system.
Mr.Ditmire is very positive on the stock exchange sector.There are better business trends now,with more mergers and acquisitions.It's hard to rule out any deal as having no merit.
NASDAQ/OMX is reportedly considering a range of options to respond to the NYSE deal,from launching a rival bid for NYSE with a partner,to buying another exchange,as well as possibly selling itself.The company fears being marginalised.
Macquarie Group Limited is a full service financial firm with 15,500 employees.It is based in Sydney,Australia and has 300 billion dollars under management.
Macquarie Group Limited(MQG),NASDAQ/OMX Group(NDAQ)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Golf on the Gulf:The Omega Dubai Desert Classic 2011
Spaniard Alvaro Quiros overcame two triple bogeys to clinch victory at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in the United Arab Emirates this past weekend.Quiros eagled the eleventh with a hole in one,giving him the momentum he needed to take home the trophy,an enormous Arabian teapot.He has won a tournament every year since 2007,among them the Qatar Masters in 2009.
Denmark's Anders Hansen and South African James Kingston were tied for second on the leader board.
The stubble-bearded Quiros got 558,376 euros for the win-that's about 755,307 U.S. dollars.Tournament sponsors included Emirates Air,Dubai Aluminium,Omega,CNN,Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts,Gulf News and Mercedes Benz.
The tournament was first held in 1989.Since then,the desert backdrop has been transformed by an impressive massing of skyscrapers in the heat haze.The Emirates GC course,where the tournament is held,has an extensive palm plantation for even more visual appeal.
Denmark's Anders Hansen and South African James Kingston were tied for second on the leader board.
The stubble-bearded Quiros got 558,376 euros for the win-that's about 755,307 U.S. dollars.Tournament sponsors included Emirates Air,Dubai Aluminium,Omega,CNN,Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts,Gulf News and Mercedes Benz.
The tournament was first held in 1989.Since then,the desert backdrop has been transformed by an impressive massing of skyscrapers in the heat haze.The Emirates GC course,where the tournament is held,has an extensive palm plantation for even more visual appeal.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Egypt Crisis Management:The Business Implications of Uprising
Businessmen with interests in the Middle East have been assessing what the Egypt revolt means to them.Mac McClelland of Center House Limited says we need to watch the Egyptian uprising very carefully,and be cognisant of the power plays.The strong Islamic tilt could affect how the new government takes effect in Egypt.There's a leadership vacuum.
The people were concerned about food,peace,prosperity,security and stability.Businesses are also concerned with that security and stability aspect.Our clients are concerned about protecting their brands and business continuity,Mr.McClelland noted.
Ken Moelis of Moelis&Company,which has an office in Dubai that advises the Dubai government on restructuring debt,observes that the rest of the region is acting as if this is an Egypt-specific event.For now,you're gonna see them stay pretty aggressive.The region is still doing business as usual.
A corporation can't see Egypt as a stock trade.You have to wait for more information,Mr.Moelis explained.
The people were concerned about food,peace,prosperity,security and stability.Businesses are also concerned with that security and stability aspect.Our clients are concerned about protecting their brands and business continuity,Mr.McClelland noted.
Ken Moelis of Moelis&Company,which has an office in Dubai that advises the Dubai government on restructuring debt,observes that the rest of the region is acting as if this is an Egypt-specific event.For now,you're gonna see them stay pretty aggressive.The region is still doing business as usual.
A corporation can't see Egypt as a stock trade.You have to wait for more information,Mr.Moelis explained.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Private Equity:A Blackstone View
Europe has been slow,in the estimation of Stephen Schwarzman,CEO of The Blackstone Group,L.P.,but we're starting to see Europeans now liquidating things in a way that wasn't previously the case.What we're seeing is sort of spotty growth in Europe.Overall this year,growth should be about 1.5%.
Europe for us used to be very high-priced.We look at Europe in a position of healing now.The consensus of finance ministers is slow growth,strengthening of the rescue fund,and life will go on.
China prices have gotten very high.There's no shortage of money in China,and there's a lot of optimism.In India,there isn't so much money around.They are actively looking for money,so there are a lot of opportunities we like,such as coal-fired electric plants,Mr.Schwarzman indicated.
What we're seeing in every area of our business is,there's always an unusual opportunity where it isn't very difficult to make a decent return,the financier said last weekend at the World Economic Forum in Davos,Switzerland.Blackstone is gonna be a whole lot more active this year.
The Blackstone Group,L.P.(BX)
Europe for us used to be very high-priced.We look at Europe in a position of healing now.The consensus of finance ministers is slow growth,strengthening of the rescue fund,and life will go on.
China prices have gotten very high.There's no shortage of money in China,and there's a lot of optimism.In India,there isn't so much money around.They are actively looking for money,so there are a lot of opportunities we like,such as coal-fired electric plants,Mr.Schwarzman indicated.
What we're seeing in every area of our business is,there's always an unusual opportunity where it isn't very difficult to make a decent return,the financier said last weekend at the World Economic Forum in Davos,Switzerland.Blackstone is gonna be a whole lot more active this year.
The Blackstone Group,L.P.(BX)
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Global Commodity Crunch Concerning
A global commodity crunch is driving prices up with little relief in sight.Freezes in China,droughts in Russia and Australian floods,coupled with emerging market diets that are tending toward more protein and sugar,are generating costs that lead to civil unrest worldwide.
Citigroup says that corn and soybean prices will remain elevated for the next 6-12 months.U.S. corn and soybean production are down.Algerians are paying up to 30% more for staples.
Abdolreza Abbassian of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation thinks we are entering a very precarious situation.We do not see any good news coming in from the crop side or the weather angle.In terms of prices,we are already as bad as 2008.Commodity exchange traded funds are also affecting prices as investor demand for shares continues to increase.
We would like rules and regulations and transparency by investors,Mr.Abbassian said.The weather will be the main driver in the months ahead.It is a very unpredictable and often unfavorable weather outlook,the FAO official noted.
Citigroup says that corn and soybean prices will remain elevated for the next 6-12 months.U.S. corn and soybean production are down.Algerians are paying up to 30% more for staples.
Abdolreza Abbassian of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation thinks we are entering a very precarious situation.We do not see any good news coming in from the crop side or the weather angle.In terms of prices,we are already as bad as 2008.Commodity exchange traded funds are also affecting prices as investor demand for shares continues to increase.
We would like rules and regulations and transparency by investors,Mr.Abbassian said.The weather will be the main driver in the months ahead.It is a very unpredictable and often unfavorable weather outlook,the FAO official noted.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
AIG:Rescuing a Business
We've resolved the debt to the Federal Reserve.The real challenge is making sure we have good performance,said Robert Benmosche(pronounced "Benmoshay"),CEO of American International Group.Treasury's goal is to get as much as it can from the next initial public offering of AIG stock.My focus now is tomorrow.You can't make yesterday better.
How do you make the most money from selling the smallest amount of profits?Among AIG's businesses are SunAmerica Financial Group,U.S. Life,aircraft leasing and Mortgage Guaranty.We're gonna continue to look overseas.
AIG has the most entrepreneurial culture.That capability is not easy for people to underprice.Our turnover is below normal levels;our retention of clients is above normal levels.We have a core of people in leadership positions-they're excited.
We have a succession plan in place.I would love to see this all the way through,to see the last share be sold.The government will probably sell over a year and a half.
Europe is gonna be a tough haul.My sense is,they're gonna work through these problems.I don't see this as a disaster.It's just gonna slow things down a little bit,observed Robert Benmosche,the veteran business leader with a shock of gray hair to prove it.
AIG has repaid four billion dollars to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York,a milestone on its way back to independence from the government following the bailout that rescued it from the financial crisis.Plans for the sale of Treasury's stake in the company are well underway,which will mark AIG's return to normal corporate life.
AIG is a leading property-casualty insurer and financial services provider in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions.Its stock is listed on exchanges in the U.S.,Ireland and Japan.AIG employees are still aggressive achievers and pleased to be part of the recovery plan.
American International Group(AIG)
How do you make the most money from selling the smallest amount of profits?Among AIG's businesses are SunAmerica Financial Group,U.S. Life,aircraft leasing and Mortgage Guaranty.We're gonna continue to look overseas.
AIG has the most entrepreneurial culture.That capability is not easy for people to underprice.Our turnover is below normal levels;our retention of clients is above normal levels.We have a core of people in leadership positions-they're excited.
We have a succession plan in place.I would love to see this all the way through,to see the last share be sold.The government will probably sell over a year and a half.
Europe is gonna be a tough haul.My sense is,they're gonna work through these problems.I don't see this as a disaster.It's just gonna slow things down a little bit,observed Robert Benmosche,the veteran business leader with a shock of gray hair to prove it.
AIG has repaid four billion dollars to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York,a milestone on its way back to independence from the government following the bailout that rescued it from the financial crisis.Plans for the sale of Treasury's stake in the company are well underway,which will mark AIG's return to normal corporate life.
AIG is a leading property-casualty insurer and financial services provider in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions.Its stock is listed on exchanges in the U.S.,Ireland and Japan.AIG employees are still aggressive achievers and pleased to be part of the recovery plan.
American International Group(AIG)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)