Breakingviews
Follow Breakingviews
Nor is Jim Yong Kim a seasoned diplomat. He’s a disease fighter and president of Dartmouth, where his tenure was marked by budget struggles. Kim’s medical background and Korean birth may mollify critics of America’s monopoly on the top job. But he’s got his work cut out for him.
Top U.S. judges may drown out healthcare debate
The most verbose Supreme Court on record will next week hear a hefty three days of oral argument on President Obama’s landmark reform. If past patterns hold, the justices will spend more time testing each other than listening to lawyers. It’s the legal system at its hammiest.
Watchdogs could change Vivendi's EMI tune
The French group’s Universal music arm feels so good about its chances of success that it agreed to pay the full $1.9 bln price even if trustbusters block the deal. But it’s actually a third possibility - being forced to sell pieces - that could be the costliest for Universal.
UK's bubble-prickers seek iron grip on banks
The new Financial Policy Committee wants mega powers to prevent future excess, including controlling capital ratios and reining in insurers and fund managers. It’s clear the FPC will have muscle. The snag is that it has few ideas for solving the current problem: risk aversion.
BT gets better side of deal with its pension fund
The UK telco’s stock rose 6 pct after it said its pension deficit had more than halved to 4 bln stg and unveiled a plan to shrink the liability further by 2021. The market reaction is understandable. The pension scheme’s trustees could have demanded a faster fix to the problem.
What’s Facebook really worth?
A look at Google’s revenue and profit history suggests that even $75 bln is a stretch for the social network’s IPO valuation - at least on a rational discounted cash flow basis. But in Facebook’s hyped offering, anything is possible. A new Breakingviews calculator does the math.
ECB short of firepower as Europe gets worse again
Data suggest continued recession in the euro zone, with weakness even in its core economies. Spanish yields are up again. But it’s harder now for the ECB to respond. Its expanded balance sheet can’t easily spray more liquidity. And German inflation worries make a rate cut tricky.
FEATURED VIDEO
-
Breakingviews: Justifying Facebook's IPO valuationMar. 23 - Antony Currie and Breakingviews columnists discuss a new interactive calculator that tells you what the social network is worth.Video
ABOUT BREAKINGVIEWS
BREAKINGVIEWS ON TWITTER
Books
Breakingviews has published a selection of books for purchase and download.
LATEST TITLES
Predictions 2012: Upside down and inside out
Edited By Robert Cole
-
