Stock Markets
Fed has yet to face final reckoning two years after trading scandal
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The U.S. Federal Reserve building is pictured in Washington, March 18, 2008. REUTERS/Jason Reed/File Photo
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By Michael S. Derby
(Reuters) – Two years after the presidents of the Dallas and Boston Federal Reserve banks left their jobs amid revelations they had traded on financial markets while helping to set monetary policy, an internal watchdog has yet to finish a probe into a scandal that has clouded the U.S. central bank’s reputation.
That’s left some lawmakers in the U.S. Congress, as well as outside experts, incredulous over the state of an inquiry they argue should have been wrapped up long ago. But there has been progress: While several legislative efforts to overhaul central bank ethics and increase transparency have made little headway, the Fed sharply clamped down on how and when its officials, top staff and family members can invest.
On Oct. 4, 2021, Fed Chair Jerome Powell asked the central bank’s Inspector General (IG) to look into the controversy that erupted after it was disclosed that Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren had traded real-estate securities and Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan had traded millions of dollars of individual stocks in 2020, even as the Fed undertook a rescue of the U.S. economy and financial markets with massive purchases of Treasuries and housing-backed bonds.
That probe later expanded as other concerns about officials’ financial activities emerged, but exactly two years later, IG Mark Bialek has not yet submitted a final report.
“The Fed’s watchdog has failed” at every stage of its investigation so far, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said in an interview. Republican Senator Rick Scott said the lack of resolution “is unfortunately another example of how the Fed has not, and will not, hold anyone accountable for their actions.”
Peter Conti-Brown, a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, said “the IG has just flubbed this, and that invites all kinds of theorizing, most of which will not be drawn in the Fed’s favor.” He added that “there’s a good reason why we have not gotten a more thorough report about the Reserve Bank presidents’ activities around these trades, or there isn’t. If there’s a good reason, we should know what it is.”
Bialek’s office declined to comment about the state of the investigation.
UP IN THE AIR
The IG cleared Powell just over a year ago of what the central bank chief had said were accidental trades that happened too close to monetary policy meetings. It also cleared Richard Clarida, the Fed’s former vice chair, over how he reported his own trades.
But at the regional level, the IG has yet to weigh in on the trading activities of Rosengren, Kaplan and current Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic. Rosengren left the Boston Fed in late September of 2021 and Kaplan followed about a week later.
Both Rosengren and Kaplan have said they followed the Fed rules that governed trading at the time, and their disclosures were approved by Fed lawyers. Neither responded to questions from Reuters about their interactions with the IG probe.
Bostic acknowledged last year that he had inadvertently made financial trades during forbidden periods and noted more such issues in June of 2023.
The Atlanta Fed said the IG “has been in contact with President Bostic since the investigation was initiated, but since it is ongoing, we don’t have any additional comment.”
The most concrete response to the controversy to date has come from the Fed itself. It tightened rules in early 2022 around officials’ investing, sharply limited what financial assets policymakers, top staff and their families could own and clamped down on when they could make transactions. The Fed also said earlier this year that it would implement recommendations from the IG to ensure compliance with the new system.
Conti-Brown praised the central bank’s new ethics regime as likely the best in government, which he said casts the IG’s work in an even worse light. “The Fed has it within itself to be serious about these issues. And I don’t know why the IG is not handling this in a more serious way.”
INDEPENDENCE
Warren and Scott see Bialek, who has been in his job since 2011, as a compromised watchdog because the IG is appointed by the Fed chief, a built-in conflict of interest in their view.
They have proposed legislation that would make the Fed IG position a presidential appointment requiring confirmation by the Senate, something Bialek has publicly opposed.
During a hearing in the Senate in May, Bialek said the Fed had never interfered in his work. He also pushed back on legislators’ assertions that his investigation of Powell and Clarida had been superficial.
He noted that the ongoing probe into the trading activities of Rosengren and Kaplan limited what he could say about his methods, promising that a fuller accounting of how his office has investigated the matter would be forthcoming once the process was complete.
Warren said she’s still holding out hope the IG overhaul bill she proposed with Scott will move forward. Since its introduction last spring, however, it has attracted only half a dozen other co-sponsors and has not been acted upon by the Senate Banking Committee to which it was assigned and where Warren is a member.
“There’s been a long tradition in the Senate of hands off on the Fed. That’s how a culture of corruption first takes root and starts to grow,” Warren said. “Now that we’ve seen that certain lapses have made it into the public view, we’ll make significant changes so that those kinds of mistakes never happen again.”
Stock Markets
14 lessons from 2024 to remember in 2025: BofA
Investing.com — In a recent note, Bank of America outlined 14 key lessons from 2024 that investors should keep in mind as they head into 2025, warning that market momentum and stretched valuations could face headwinds in the year ahead.
While this year resembled the steady gains of 1996-97, rather than the bubble peaks of 1998-99, risks are mounting—from geopolitical tensions and rising debt to market fragility highlighted by the VIX.
BofA points to opportunities in Europe, China, and Japan but cautions that volatility, trade disputes, and macroeconomic uncertainty will shape the next leg of the market cycle.
Below are the 14 lessons that BofA highlighted.
1. 2024 was a strong year for markets, but it might only be the beginning.
2. The market’s performance in 2024 looked more like the steady gains of 1996-97 than the bubble peaks of 1998-99.
3. In a bubble environment, market leadership can persist for longer than investors can afford to stay underweight.
4. However, the combination of strong momentum and high valuations is already too stretched to avoid a potential bust.
5. The has shown that markets remain fragile, and a major shock may be overdue.
6. August 2024 suggests buying market dips and locking in volatility spikes; using smarter strategies like skewed delta positioning may be key for 2025.
7. Rising debt levels and persistent inflation mean bond vigilantes remain the most visible macroeconomic tail risk.
8. Market fragility, faster reactions, and elevated valuations suggest a repeat of the calm volatility seen in 2017 is unlikely.
9. A Trump election victory has reignited concerns around tariffs, with European companies favored by dollar strength potentially becoming the next trade targets.
10. European equities remain cheap and unloved—investors should be cautious about being caught short, as fewer crowded trades mean less volatility pain.
11. China’s outperformance over Japan in 2024 could continue if U.S. interest rates decline.
12. VIX options data indicates that positioning risks in the market have not gone away.
13. Eurozone bank dividends have outperformed the for much of the past year; investors may need to hedge against a different outcome in 2025.
14. The risk of sharp movements in the Japanese yen, driven by volatility, could cause instability for the in 2025.
Stock Markets
Class Action Lawsuit Reminder WOLF: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP Reminds Wolfspeed, Inc. (WOLF) Investors – A Securities Fraud Class Action Lawsuit Has Been Filed
RADNOR, PA. – (NewMediaWire) – December 21, 2024 – The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed against Wolfspeed (NYSE:), Inc. (Wolfspeed) (NYSE: WOLF) on behalf of those who purchased or otherwise acquired Wolfspeed securities between August 16, 2023, and November 6, 2024, inclusive (the Class Period). The lead plaintiff deadline is January 17, 2025.
CONTACT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP:
If you suffered Wolfspeed losses, you may CLICK HERE or go to: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/wolfspeed-inc?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=wolf&mktm=r
You can also contact attorney Jonathan Naji, Esq. by calling (484) 270-1453 or by email at info@ktmc.com .
DEFENDANTS ALLEGED MISCONDUCT:
The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Wolfspeeds optimistic claims of potential growth of its Mohawk Valley fabrication facility and general demand for Wolfspeeds 200mm wafers in the electronic vehicle market fell short of reality; and (2) Wolfspeed had overstated demand for its key product and placed undue reliance on purported design wins while the Mohawk Valley facilitys growth had begun to taper before recognizing the $100 million revenue per quarter allegedly achievable with only 20% utilization of the fabrication, let alone the promised $2 billion revenue purportedly achievable by the facility.
Please CLICK HERE to view our video or copy and paste this link into your browser: https://youtu.be/zMLfnSRjg2Y
THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS:
Wolfspeed investors may, no later than January 17, 2025, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Wolfspeed investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information.
ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP:
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. The complaints in this action were not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com .
CONTACT:
Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP
Jonathan Naji, Esq.
(484) 270-1453
280 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087
info@ktmc.com
May be considered attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
View the original release on www.newmediawire.com
Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Stock Markets
Starbucks workers’ union strikes across US as talks hit impasse
By Savyata Mishra, Gursimran Mehar and Renee Hickman
(Reuters) -Some members of the Starbucks (NASDAQ:) workers’ union that represents more than 10,000 baristas walked off their jobs in multiple U.S. cities on Friday, citing unresolved issues over wages, staffing and schedules.
The five-day strike, which began on Friday and closed Starbucks cafes in Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle, will expand to Columbus (WA:), Denver, and Pittsburgh through Saturday, the union said in a statement.
This is the latest in a series of labor actions that have picked up pace across service industries following a period when workers at manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace and rail industries won substantial concessions from employers.
At Starbucks, the Workers United union, which represents employees at 525 stores across the U.S., said late on Thursday that walkouts would escalate daily, and could reach “hundreds of stores” nationwide by Christmas Eve.
“It’s estimated that 10 stores out of 10,000 company-operated stores did not open today,” Starbucks said, adding that there was no significant impact to store operations on Friday.
Around 20 people joined a picket line at a Starbucks location on Chicago’s north side, buffeted by snow and wind, but cheering in response to the honking horns of passing cars.
A few confused customers tried to walk into the closed store before strikers began chanting, but union member Shep Searl said the reaction had been mostly positive.
Searl said 100% of the unionized workers at the Starbucks location in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood were participating in the strike, and according to the workers, they have been subject to numerous unfair labor practices including write-ups, “captive-audience” meetings and firings.
The union member said they made about $21 an hour and added, “that would have been a great wage in 2013”.
It is an inadequate wage, the baristas said, given inflation and the high cost of living in a large city, especially since they rarely get 40-hour work weeks.
WORKERS SNUB OFFER
Negotiations between the company and Workers United began in April, based on an established framework agreed upon in February, which could also help resolve numerous pending legal disputes.
The company said on Thursday it has held more than nine bargaining sessions with the union since April, and reached more than 30 agreements on “hundreds of topics”, including economic issues.
The Seattle-headquartered firm said it is ready to continue negotiations, claiming the union delegates prematurely ended the bargaining session this week.
The union, however, said in a Facebook (NASDAQ:) post on Friday that Starbucks had yet to present a serious economic proposal with less than two weeks remaining until the year-end contract deadline.
The workers’ group also snubbed an offer of no immediate wage hike and a guarantee of a 1.5% increase in future years.
“Workers United proposals call for an immediate increase in the minimum wage of hourly partners by 64%, and by 77% over the life of a three-year contract. This is not sustainable,” Starbucks said on Friday.
In response to Starbucks’ statement on the proposals, Michelle Eisen, a Starbucks barista and bargaining delegate, said, “Starbucks’ characterization of our proposals is misleading and they know it. We are ready to finalize a framework that includes new investments in baristas in the first year of contracts”.
Separately, the baristas’ union said on Friday that it filed a new labor practice charge against the coffee house, alleging Starbucks “refused to bargain and engaged in bad faith bargaining” over economic issues.
Hundreds of complaints have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), accusing Starbucks of unlawful labor practices such as firing union supporters and closing stores during labor campaigns. Starbucks has denied wrongdoing and said it respects the right of workers to choose whether to unionize.
WORKING ON A TURNAROUND
Last month, the NLRB said that Starbucks broke the law by telling workers at its flagship Seattle cafe that they would lose benefits if they joined a union.
“It’s (the strike) taking place during one of the busiest times of the year for Starbucks, which could magnify its impact while bringing unwanted public scrutiny into the company’s labor practices,” Emarketer analyst Rachel Wolff said.
The coffee chain is working on a turnaround under its newly appointed top boss, Brian Niccol, who aims to restore “coffee house culture” by overhauling cafes and simplifying its menu among other measures.
“Given how much Starbucks is already struggling to win over customers, it can ill afford any negative publicity – or impact to sales – that the strike could bring,” Wolff said.
The Starbucks workers’ strike comes in the same week as Amazon.com (NASDAQ:) workers at seven U.S. facilities walking off the job on Thursday, during the holiday shopping rush.
There were 33 work stoppages in 2023, the most since 2000, though far lower than in past decades, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed.
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