links for 2010-05-02

Australia to Impose 40% Tax on Profits of Resource Companies – Bloomberg.com Australia will impose a 40 percent tax on the profits of resource companies like BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group to pay for infrastructure, retirement and company levy reforms as part of the nation’s broadest overhaul of its tax system since the … Read more

MEMC Experiences Volume Pressures In Solar, Sustainability Questioned

MEMC Electronic Materials (WFR) manufactures silicon wafer solutions for the semiconductor and solar industries. WFR fell 19% on Friday in response to earnings despite the company’s reassurances that it is on track to meet full-year guidance targets (click here for the transcript from Seeking Alpha): “In the first quarter, revenue was ahead of our internal … Read more

links for 2010-05-01

Papandreou Says Greek ‘Survival’ at Stake in Talks (Update1) – Bloomberg.com Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said the country’s survival was at stake in talks to win a potential $159 billion European Union-led bailout in exchange for budget cuts denounced by unions as “savage. (tags: Greece debt default)

Adjustment to Goldman Sachs Vs. Deutsche Bank Pairs Trade

Earlier this week, I suggested setting up a pairs trade between Goldman Sachs (GS) and Deutsche Bank Ag (DB) to take advantage of an apparent growing divergence in performance between the two financial giants. My main recommendation rested on a put spread for GS and a call spread for DB. After thinking about the structure … Read more

links for 2010-04-30

Spanish Unemployment Rate Tops 20%, Undermining Deficit Fight – Bloomberg.com Spain’s unemployment rate rose above 20 percent for the first time in more than a decade, undermining Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s fight to cut the euro region’s third-largest budget deficit. (tags: Spain unemployment debt) Federal Prosecutors Open Inquiry into Goldman Trading – CNBC … Read more