Next FOMC meeting a “tough call” says Fed’s Bullard. Double dip risk down; (CNBC.com)Fed may wait and see on QE. Still, economy has slowed.
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As long as Congress grants the IRS official immunity from prosecution based on testimony, there's no right to remain silent.
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EU to Cap Top Bankers Pay?
Posted By: Ash Bennington
Obama Won’t Sign Foreclosure Bill
Posted By: Ash Bennington
The story broke quickly: A bill that made it more difficult for homeowners to challenge potentially faulty foreclosures had passed quickly and quietly through the congress. John Carney reported on the story this morning , noting that the White House was reviewing the legislation.
Strap in, Gold is Getting Bumpy
Posted By: Lori Spechler
Goldbugs should strap in because the market is starting to rock.
Georgia’s Comeback: Cold War and Hard Cash
Posted By: Nicole Lapin
Like the song goes, Georgia comes in and out of our geopolitical minds. In 2008, it was in during their war with Russia. In 2009, it was out while they rebuilt. And, now in 2010, it's so in.
Petras Malukas | AFP | Getty Images
The Black Sea state expects 5-6% GDP growth this year, followed by another 4.5% growth in 2011 — all of which to say that Georgia is committed to distancing itself from Russia.
“We had a quite difficult year in 2009; however, we’re on our way to recovery,” Georgia’s Prime Minister Nikoloz Gilauri told me in an exclusive interview on CNBC’s “Worldwide Exchange.”
Gilauri said that the first six months of 2010 were especially impressive, as the country saw GDP growth of 6.5%. Tourism, banking and exports, mainly of agricultural goods, have been the main drivers of growth so far.
On Pinatas, Parasites and Feeding Frenzies: Scaramucci Speaks
Posted By: Jeff Cox
Anthony Scaramucci tends to talk in lists: Here’s what’s working, here’s what’s not, here’s what a good hedge fund manager needs to do — all enunciated in clear, bullet-point conversational format.
Anthony Scaramucci
It’s a technique that has served the budding financial media star well as he enjoys a higher profile since his notorious questioning of President Obama at last month’s town hall organized by CNBC.
Scaramucci asked Obama why he was treating Wall Street like a “piñata.” The question set up a lively dialogue between the SkyBridge Capital founder and a president who is perceived to regard financial types as three levels below the gunk you scrape off your shoe when walking through a toxic waste dump.
Laffer’s Ideas Still Relevant — The Phrase “Shared Sacrifice” Still Among The Most Terrifying
Posted By: Ash Bennington
Earlier this week, economist Arthur Laffer wrote an Op-Ed piece in the Wall Street Journal condemning a proposal to implement a new 5% state income tax in the state of Washington. (Washington State currently has no state income tax.)
Lars Klove | The Image Bank | Getty Images
Taxes
The creation of the tax is supported by Bill Gates Sr., father of the billionaire software entrepreneur, and a prominent retired attorney in his own right. Laffer’s response to Gates senior: If you want to help the state of Washington with its financial woes, you and your son should write them a check — but don’t impose a tax on everyone else.
While on its face Laffer’s remark may seem like just a witty retort, his piece is extraordinarily data driven: He maps out the case for how states with high income taxes lag, on a relative basis, states with lower or no income tax.
Martin Gruss: The Root of All Economic Evil
Posted By: Lori Ann LaRocco
If I had a dollar for every time someone said the word "deficit" I would be a rich woman.
The “root” of our economic ills have been debated, rehashed and tweaked with nuisances to describe what phase of the “recovery” we are in. I think “New Normal” is the “it” phrase right now, but let’s face it—it’s still the same mess. The best way I would describe this economy is a tortoise with two broken legs carrying an enormous load on its back. The load I’m talking about is the deficit and the housing market.
The United States Congress continues to try and spend our way back to prosperity. The disparity between revenues coming into Uncle Sam’s wallet and what’s being spent is great. The level of government dysfunction has never been more apparent. Voters are so disgusted with both sides of the aisle that they have almost created a third party, the Tea Party.
To get a C-suite perspective on all of this, I decided to sit down with Martin Gruss, Senior Principal of the private investment firm Gruss & Company, which has $2.5 billion under management. We started our conversation on the latest economic team changes in the Obama Administration.
Obama Rejects Foreclosure Gate Bailout Bill
Posted By: John Carney
If you were watching "Squawk Box" this morning, youprobably heard Rick Santelli askMohamed El-Erianabout a mysteriousinterstate notary bill that might bail out banks such asGMAC,JP Morgan ChaseandBank of Americafrom their foreclosure gatetroubles.
Peter Gridley | Photographer's Choice | Getty Images
At stake was the ability of homeowners to challengeforeclosure attempts by banks.Recently,several large banks have had to halt foreclosureproceedings in many states when it emerged thattheir loan officers had taken short-cuts to speedforeclosures.
Ordinarily, banks are able to get a quickie foreclosurethrough the courts by having officers swear out statementsclaiming they have personal knowledge of the details of theloans and the delinquencies of borrowers. But it has nowemerged that loan officers at some banks were just signingthe statements kicked out by a computer without havingreviewed the loan materials.
Basically, the banks gave liar loans and now they aretrying to push through liar foreclosures.
Pimco Slashes Gold Exposure 70%
Posted By: John Carney
Are you sure you want to keep betting on gold?
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Senior writer for CNBC.com, covering the gamut of issues affecting the stock market and the economy.
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Volatile trading in stocks and bonds could continue while investors sort out what's going on with the Fed.
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CNBC's Maria Bartiromo discusses the day's top business and financial stories, and looks ahead to tomorrow's Closing Bell.
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Check out which companies are making headlines after the bell Wednesday: