Asian Companies Rush to Borrow

Asian companies are tapping bond markets at a record pace, worried that the euro-zone crisis may deepen and make it impossible for them to secure funds later in the year, say bankers who arrange borrowing.

Asian Companies Rush to Borrow

Asian companies are tapping bond markets at a record pace, worried that the euro-zone crisis may deepen and make it impossible for them to secure funds later in the year, say bankers who arrange borrowing.

Lenders Score Roles in IPOs

As the market for technology IPOs revs up and the biggest banks seek to capitalize on the size of their balance sheets, the practice of companies selecting underwriters that also provided loans to them is coming under focus, spurred by Facebook’s IPO process.

Lenders Score Roles in IPOs

As the market for technology IPOs revs up and the biggest banks seek to capitalize on the size of their balance sheets, the practice of companies selecting underwriters that also provided loans to them is coming under focus, spurred by Facebook’s IPO process.

Train Reading: It’s Looking Like 2011 All Over Again

The SEC widened its inquiry into ETFs — Reuters

How much pent-up demand exists in the U.S. economy — FT Alphaville

How “uncertainty” didn’t kill the economy – Salon

Economy in recovery? Not so fast — CNNMoney

A continued bull market rally from here is highly suspect — Streettalklive

It’s beginning to look a lot like 2011 — The Atlantic

Prepare for a golden age of gas — FT.com

Tomorrow’s Tape: More Earnings, Jobless Claims On Tap

Economics/FedSpeak:

  • Jobless claims. Economists expect claims ticked up to 355,000, from the previous week’s level of 348,000.
  • FHFA home prices for December. The expectation says prices edged up 0.1% in December, after rising 1.0% in November.
  • Kansas City Fed manufacturing survey.

Earnings

  • Ameren
  • Ameresco
  • AIG
  • American Tower
  • Autodesk
  • Chicago Bridge & Iron
  • Denbury Resources
  • Dish Network
  • Echostar
  • Ellie Mae
  • Exco Resources
  • Foster Wheeler
  • Gap
  • HealthSouth
  • Hormel Foods
  • Kohl
  • Liberty Interactive
  • Liberty Media Corp
  • Live Nation Entertainment
  • Loblaw
  • Magna
  • Marvell Tech
  • MetroPCS
  • Mohawk
  • Molycorp
  • Navios Maritime
  • NII Holdings
  • Nordson
  • OfficeMax
  • Omnicare
  • OmniVision
  • Patterson
  • Plains Exploration
  • Public Svc Enterprise Grp
  • Public Storage
  • Quanta Services
  • Radian Group
  • Safeway
  • Salesforce.com
  • Target
  • Teekay
  • Tenaris
  • Tim Hortons
  • TiVo
  • Toro
  • Trina Solar
  • WebMD Health
  • WestarWright Medical

Discovering the Riches of TV Advertising

In these uncertain times, advertisers are taking solace in the glow of a television. Can investors also find a seat? John Jannarone has details on The News Hub. Photo: Reuters



Bond Myths Exposed by Greece

It used to be so simple. Developed-country government bonds were risk-free, while corporate bonds carried credit risk to varying degrees. The euro-zone crisis has exposed that assumption to be false.

A Battle for Mongolia’s Copper Lode

Robert Friedland, CEO of Ivanhoe Mines and one of the sector’s most colorful moguls, is on the defensive in a squabble with industry giant Rio Tinto over a massive Mongolian copper-and-gold project.

Dow Snaps Win Streak

Stocks faltered for the first day in four amid caution on the European economy and uncertainty about the implementation of Greece’s debt deal. Paul Vigna has details on The News Hub. Photo: AP



Gas Prices Rising Despite Increasing Supplies

Americans are pumping more oil out of the ground than in years, and driving less. So why are gasoline prices rising? Tom Fowler has details on The News Hub. Photo: Getty Images



Fund Flows Show Investors’ Love Affair With Bonds Continues

Long-term mutual funds registered another strong showing of weekly inflows, according to the latest weekly data from the Investment Company Institute.

There was an estimated $11.9 billion that poured into domestic mutual funds during the week ended Feb. 15, compared with $13.2 billion a week earlier. This was the sixth consecutive week of fund inflows reported by ICI.

Three of the last four weeks have experienced net inflows of greater than $11 billion, with bond and hybrid bond/equity funds benefiting the most from the recent surge.

Bond funds notched huge inflows for much of 2011. The volatile stock market spooked many investors, prompting them to get defensive and flee stocks for bonds.

Meanwhile, domestic equity funds barely notched a second consecutive weekly inflow, raking in $35 million. These funds pulled in about $1.9 billion a week earlier, the biggest weekly inflow in almost a year. This is the  first time domestic equity funds have had two consecutive weeks of inflows since April, according to ICI.

While the weekly data have been volatile, investors have pulled about $6 billion from domestic equity funds this year.

Many investors have missed out on this year’s stock rally. Hints of an improving economy combined with waning fears out of Europe have prompted stocks to register huge gains to kick off 2012.

Unfortunately, the big fear is investors putting money into domestic equities now may have missed out on a big portion of the recent rally.

Kevin Kingsbury contributed to this post.