William Wright, Editor Time for Citi’s board to step up – part II The financial crisis has cast light on some very complex structures that are difficult to understand – and few more so than the board of directors of Citigroup.
William Hutchings Marginal trading defies market logic Here is one for historians. What was the reason for a 22% rise in the share price of Gooch & Housego, an optical components manufacturer from the south-west of England, on its first day of trading on London’s Alternative Investment Market, more than a decade ago?
Bailey Morris-Eck Obama takes first step to recovery The good news is that President-elect Barack Obama has moved swiftly and boldly to end the policy impasse that has frozen credit, spooked markets and ignited fears of yet more bailouts.
Guest comment: Kit Bingham Where were the investors? Many years ago, in the wake of devastating urban riots, the UK Home Secretary of the time sought to deflect accusations that there were insufficient police forces to deal with the crisis.
Charles Richardson, Chief executive, Veritas Asset Management Time to signal your strength… or your panic It was in the demanding conditions of the 1930s that Benjamin Graham and David Dodd wrote: “The prime purpose of a business corporation is to pay dividends to its owners.”
Paul Hodkinson Saudi Arabia keeps up its defences Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, is in a curious location – the middle of the desert and nowhere near any water. Apparently that is because it is high and was easily defended by the tribes of the day. High and defensive. It might be a good way to describe Saudi Arabia today.