lehman brothers Archives • Rutherford Investment

Stocks Suffer Worst Quarter Since 2009

Published October 11, 2011
The Dow Jones industrial average ended the third quarter of 2011 down 12 percent – the largest decline, by percentage, since the first quarter of 2009. That was after Lehman Brothers collapsed, and fear reigned supreme. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner said that March 2009 was when we looked into our grave.

The first quarter of 2009 is not a good reference point for a quarter, the current one, that started on a good note and saw some improvement in gross domestic product, consumer confidence and manufacturing output.

In August, household incomes fell. This was the first monthly decline in overall personal income since October 2009. Real disposable income is actually down for the year 2011. Personal spending was flat in inflation adjusted terms.

Each time the market tried to rally, it was crushed. September was the fifth straight month of market declines, the longest string since March 2009. However, that month also marked the beginning of a two-year market rally.

Worries persisted about the European debt crisis, which has drug on for over a year. Talk of a double dip recession gained currency, though such a predication was rejected by Warren Buffett. The global economy appears to be slowing, with the notable addition of China to the watch list.

The periodic good news followed by headlines of bad news led to one of the most volatile periods for stocks ever. In the quarter, the Dow moved by more than 200 points a day 18 times, and more than 400 points on four consecutive days. Investors’ nerves and confidence were rattled.

Financial stocks were among the hardest hit, with many banks falling by […]

October 12th, 2011|Categories: Daily Journal of Commerce|Tags: disposable income, double dip recession, lehman brothers, timothy geithner, warren buffett|Comments Off

Bill Rutherford Quoted In Dow Jones

Consumer Staples, Health Care Seen As Recessionary Havens

by Mary Ellen Lloyd, Dow Jones Newswires; 704-948-9145; maryellen.lloyd@dowjones.com

A year into the U.S. recession, the smart money on Wall Street says traditionally defensive sectors such as consumer staples, health care and telecommunications remain among the best bets.

That’s because it is businesses like drugstores, food producers, managed-care companies, and beer and cigarette makers that tend to do well despite tough economic times, according to several market strategists, money managers, economists and fund data managers.

“You’re dealing with industries and companies that provide necessities – everything from toothpaste to stents to pharmaceuticals to cereal,” said Brian Belski, Merrill Lynch’s U.S. sector strategist.

And some not-so-basic items can feel like necessary luxuries for folks during times of stress. “People tend to drink and smoke more during recessions and slowing times in the economy and the stock market,” Belski said. […]

December 18th, 2008|Categories: Bill Quoted|Tags: brian belski, dow jones, economy, lehman brothers, market strategists, recession, Rutherford Investment Management, stock market, william rutherford|Comments Off

It’s Uncle Sam’s Investment Club

U.S. government has become irreversibly involved in many businesses’ affairs

One day in the not-too distant past, seemingly eons ago, top executives of Lehman Brothers met with Federal Reserve and Treasury officials at the Federal Reserve offices in New York. At issue was what to do about Lehman. A top Lehman executive reportedly told government officials that Lehman had no idea of the amount of risk on their books in credit default swaps, and then said, “Neither do you.” It’s astonishing that a top official of a major investment bank would not know the amount of risk that the firm had on its books, but it simply reveals the state of affairs at the time. The Fed did not have any idea about the size or scope of the market, because Alan Greenspan had refused to regulate it even when advised to do so.

Even now, firms are still learning of the risk they have undertaken. This conversation may have been the basis for the decision by Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson to let Lehman file for bankruptcy. Paulson has said that Lehman did not have adequate collateral for a government loan. Based on subsequent events it probably is a decision that he would like back. […]

November 10th, 2008|Categories: Daily Journal of Commerce|Tags: alan greenspan, bailout package, federal reserve, federal reserve offices, government loan, investment bank, lehman brothers, treasury officials, treasury secretary|Comments Off

Bill Rutherford Quoted By CNNMoney.com

Dow sheds 486 points: Post-election worries about the weak economy are front and center.

by Alexandra Twin, CNNMoney.com senior writer

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Stocks fell sharply Wednesday, with the Dow sliding as much as 513 points, as Barack Obama’s historic victory gave way to renewed worries about the struggling economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) lost 486 points or 5%. The blue-chip average lost as much as 513 points earlier. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (SPX) index lost 5.3% and the Nasdaq composite (COMP) gave up 5.5%.

Investors were taking a classic “buy the rumor, sell the news” response to President-elect Barack Obama’s victory over John McCain, said Bill Stone, chief investment strategist at PNC Financial Services Group. […]

November 5th, 2008|Categories: Bill Quoted|Tags: barack obama, chief investment strategist, dow jones, dow jones industrial average, economy, financial markets, john mccain, lehman brothers, market bottom, new york stock exchange, paulson, recession, Rutherford Investment Management, stock market, treasury secretary, william rutherford|Comments Off

Bill Rutherford Quoted In Barron’s

Earnings Estimates Still Too Lofty

By JOHANNA BENNETT

WHILE WALL STREET’S OUTLOOK for corporate earnings has grown more bearish by the day, the estimates are still not grisly enough.

Analysts have sharply cut their third-quarter and full-year financial profit estimates for companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 since the summer, finally giving up on the notion that profits will climb much in 2008.

A poll by Thomson Reuters shows that the Street expects earnings to fall 2.3% in the quarter ending Tuesday from a year earlier. For the entire year, profits are expected to remain flat, a big change from the 6.7% gain analysts had forecast in July.

But some are skeptical about even those modest expectations and expect earnings to be down this year by as much as 8%. And there’s little confidence that the 22% gains predicted in 2009 will materialize given the uncertain economy, falling oil prices and the turmoil plaguing financial markets. […]

October 1st, 2008|Categories: Bill Quoted|Tags: bank bailout, chief investment strategist, corporate america, corporate earnings, corporate profits, credit crisis, dow jones, dow jones industrial average, ed yardeni, fannie mae, financial markets, global economy, johanna bennett, lehman brothers, Rutherford Investment Management, stock market, william rutherford|Comments Off

Bill Rutherford Quoted In CNNMoney.com

Stocks rally on housing rescue

Dow surges 290 points as investors consider what the Fannie and Freddie bailout means for the broader economy.

by Alexandra Twin, CNNMoney.com senior writer

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Stocks surged Monday, with the Dow gaining 290 points and the broader market also gaining as investors breathed a sigh of relief that the government has swooped in to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) added 290 points or 2.6%. The broader Standard & Poor’s 500 (SPX) index added 1.8%, paring its morning gains. The Nasdaq composite (COMP) added 0.6%, after climbing in the morning and then falling in the afternoon. […]

September 8th, 2008|Categories: Bill Quoted|Tags: bailout, credit markets, dow jones, dow jones industrial average, economic slowdown, fannie mae, global economy, jon burnham, lehman brothers, new york mercantile exchange, new york stock exchange, paulson, regional banks, Rutherford Investment Management, steven goldman, stock market, treasury secretary, william rutherford|Comments Off

Bill Rutherford Quoted By Associated Press

Wall Street’s credit crisis heads into second year

by Joe Bel Bruno, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) – There are new signs that the worst of the global credit crisis is yet to come, and that banks and brokerages caught up in the market turmoil may lose $1 trillion by the time it has passed.

Major U.S. investment banks this week announced yet another painful quarter amid the implosion of mortgage-backed securities and risky credit investments. Regional banks have scrambled to secure fresh capital to stay in business, and by Wednesday there was new talk that embattled investment bank Lehman Brothers might be forced into a sale. […]

June 18th, 2008|Categories: Bill Quoted|Tags: credit crisis, david viniar, global credit, goldman sachs, international monetary fund, investment bank, lehman brothers, market turmoil, morgan stanley, mortgage backed securities, regional banks, Rutherford Investment Management, state treasurer, william rutherford|Comments Off