Posts belonging to Category Municipal Bonds
Posted by Page PerryonAugust 6, 2012
There is concern growing within the municipal bond market as a result of the recent high profile bankruptcy filings by the California cities of Stockton, Mammoth Lakes, Compton, and San Bernardino. The concern is that bond payments will not be treated as a priority obligation. Municipal bonds have historically had the reputation for safety and […]
Categories: Brokerage Firms, Economy, Investigations, Investment Advisers, Investor Alerts, Market Developments, Municipal Bonds, Securities, Securities/Commodities Arbitration, Securities/Commodities Litigation, Smart Investing Tools
Posted by Page PerryonAugust 1, 2012
The former co-head of UBS AG’s municipal-derivatives group, and two ex-colleagues are defendants in a municipal bond bid-rigging case being tried before U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood in Manhattan (“Ex-UBS execs on trial in muni bid-rigging case,” InvestmentNews).
Categories: Auction Rate Securities, Bank of America, Brokerage Firms, Common Securities Broker Abuses, Fairness/Just & Equitable Conduct, Investigations, Investment Advisers, Investment Malpractice, Investor Alerts, J. P. Morgan Chase, Misrepresentation/Omission, Municipal Bonds, Securities, Securities/Commodities Arbitration, Securities/Commodities Litigation, Smart Investing Tools, UBS, Wells Fargo
Posted by Page PerryonJuly 18, 2012
In the national news and on the minds of municipal bondholders across the country is the bankruptcy of Stockton, CA. On June 28 the town of Stockton, CA, filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection. This is not the first town to file for bankruptcy with outstanding bonds however its aggressive attitude toward bondholders has those […]
Categories: Brokerage Firms, Economy, Investment Advisers, Investor Alerts, Investor Rights, Market Developments, Municipal Bonds, Securities, Securities/Commodities Arbitration, Securities/Commodities Litigation, Smart Investing Tools
Posted by Page PerryonJuly 16, 2012
Warren Buffett, billionaire chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., has continued to express concerns about the number of municipal bankruptcies happening around the nation. In testimony before the U.S. Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission in June 2010, Buffett predicted a “terrible problem” for municipal bonds in coming years. A portion of that prediction came true on June […]
Categories: Brokerage Firms, Economy, Investment Advisers, Market Developments, Municipal Bonds, Securities
Posted by Page PerryonJune 22, 2012
High-yield (junk) municipal bonds have attracted about $5.3 billion of investors’ money so far this year, but some experts think that their party is about to end. The reason for the robust growth is that the yield of junk municipal bonds is approximately 5.2 percent compared with investment grade munis that are yielding 2 percent. […]
Categories: Alternative Investments, Brokerage Firms, Common Securities Broker Abuses, Elder Abuses, Fairness/Just & Equitable Conduct, High Yield (Junk) Bonds, Investigations, Investment Advisers, Investment Malpractice, Investor Alerts, Misrepresentation/Omission, Municipal Bonds, Securities, Securities/Commodities Arbitration, Securities/Commodities Litigation, Smart Investing Tools, Unsuitable Recommendations
Posted by Page PerryonApril 25, 2012
State and local issuers of municipal bonds are in trouble, but most municipal bond holders are not ? at least not yet. While waves of default predicted by analyst Meredith Whitney several years ago have not yet materialized, lower revenues and unfunded liabilities are creating a slow-motion train wreck for many state and local governments. […]
Categories: Brokerage Firms, Economy, Investment Advisers, Investor Alerts, Market Developments, Municipal Bonds, Securities, Securities/Commodities Arbitration, Securities/Commodities Litigation, Smart Investing Tools
Posted by Page PerryonMarch 27, 2012
The prospect of several more years of extremely low interest rates is causing people who depend on interest income to accept Wall Street’s recommendations to purchase relatively illiquid and opaque alternative investments like structured products, non-traded REITs, hedge funds and variable annuities. (“Itchy Investors Ramp Up the Risk,” Wall Street Journal). Regulators worry that the […]
Categories: Alternative Investments, Bonds, Brokerage Firms, Derivatives, Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs), Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), Hedge Funds, High Yield (Junk) Bonds, Investment Advisers, Investment Malpractice, Investor Alerts, Limited Partnerships, Misrepresentation/Omission, Municipal Bonds, Mutual Funds, Nontraded REITs, Oil & Gas, Private Equity Investments, Private Investments/Reg D, REITs, Securities, Securities/Commodities Arbitration, Securities/Commodities Litigation, Smart Investing Tools, Structured Notes, Unsuitable Recommendations
Posted by Page PerryonMarch 12, 2012
Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania, is set to default on general obligation bonds for the first time. The city of 49,500 is in receivership and the receiver is seeking approval to raise money by selling assets, raising taxes and fees and obtaining concessions from municipal labor unions. That has not yet come to pass, however, […]
Categories: Economy, Market Developments, Municipal Bonds
Posted by Page PerryonFebruary 8, 2012
Various well-respected market followers are beginning to sound alarm bells regarding municipal bonds and municipal bond funds. Investors and financial advisers are encouraged to take heed and proceed with caution.
Categories: Brokerage Firms, Economy, Investment Advisers, Investor Alerts, Market Developments, Municipal Bonds, Mutual Funds, Securities, Securities/Commodities Arbitration, Securities/Commodities Litigation, Smart Investing Tools
Posted by Page PerryonFebruary 2, 2012
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently issued a report outlining is its regulatory and examination priorities for 2012. The securities industry regulator is focusing on conduct and products meant to beat the market that are unsuitable investments for many investors.
Categories: Affinity Fraud, Alternative Investments, Brokerage Firms, CDOs, Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities, Common Securities Broker Abuses, Derivatives, Elder Abuses, Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), Fairness/Just & Equitable Conduct, Insurance Products, Investigations, Investment Advisers, Investment Malpractice, Investor Alerts, Life Policies/Viatical Settlements, Misrepresentation/Omission, Mortgage Backed Securities, Mortgage Securities & Collateralized Debt Obligation Problems, Municipal Bonds, Nontraded REITs, Private Investments/Reg D, Regulatory Developments, Reverse Convertibles, Securities, Securities/Commodities Arbitration, Securities/Commodities Litigation, Smart Investing Tools, Structured Notes, Unsuitable Recommendations, Variable Annuities and Equity-Indexed Annuities
