Breakingviews
Follow Breakingviews
It’s not just social networking junkies that have grown reliant on Mark Zuckerberg’s firm. Businesses such as Zynga have been created on its back. Bankers are pegging their careers on floating the firm. And California needs the impending IPO to help close its yawning budget gap.
Apple’s valuation isn’t at risk any time soon
Its $550 bln market cap is mind-boggling, but the fast-growing iPhone maker nevertheless trades at an absurdly low 12 times earnings. A new Breakingviews calculator shows how even if growth and margins decline improbably fast, Apple should still be worth far more in 2016.
Mervyn King's mini mea culpa is missed opportunity
The Bank of England governor did admit to not shouting loudly enough about financial risks. Yet his retrospective largely ignored the many critics of central bank policy, after as well as before the crisis. Demands to make King’s successor more accountable are bound to increase.
"Scream" now a symbol of easy money and easy life
Munch’s pastel has long been an icon of the modern age’s dark side. Now this image of isolation, fear and madness has become emblematic of post-modern financial excess. Its sale for a record $120 mln betrays lax monetary policy and a mood of insouciance among the new hyper-rich.
China's stock reforms should benefit brokers most
New rules like lower trading fees are designed to boost China’s stock market, which trades at a discount versus its Asian peers. New kinds of trading and higher underwriting volumes should help struggling securities firms, but may disappoint investors hoping for higher stock prices.
Even Predators’ Ball saves a dance for 99 pct
The annual Beverly Hills gathering of Mike Milken’s 3,000 closest friends retains some vestiges of its racier past. But there’s an emerging consensus among this elite demimonde that rising wealth inequality is a problem. The solutions, however, are fundamentally polarizing.
Nerds may get revenge on Woodstock of Capitalism
Spreadsheet-wielding analysts have been invited for the first time to ask questions at Warren Buffett’s annual powwow. That should at least subtly tilt the discussion more to financial nitty-gritty from folksy wisdom. It’s the latest sign that Berkshire’s times may be a-changin’.
FEATURED VIDEO
-
Breakingviews: Apple won’t rotMay 3 - Jeffrey Goldfarb and Breakingviews columnists explain how even a skeptical view of Apple’s growth prospects should leave the iPhone maker worth considerably more by 2016.Video
-
Breakingviews: Munch's Scream is symbol of easy moneyMay 3 - The auction of Edvard Munch's "The Scream" was thick with irony as the hyper-rich bid $120mln for an image of "abject misery", says Reuters BreakingviewsVideo
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
-
