lehman brothers

Shadow Banking: The $67 Trillion Threat to the U.S. Economy

Shadow banking. The name alone sounds ominous -- and it should. Operating out of the spotlight of regulation, the shadow banking system could, given the right conditions, leap from its dark, financial hiding place and bring the U.S. economy to its knees, just like it nearly did in 2008.

Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?

It's the question every incumbent up for reelection has had to answer since challenger Ronald Reagan first posed it to President Jimmy Carter in 1980. But in this 2012 campaign, the answer is not so simple, for all the rhetoric on both sides.

BofA Accused of Hiding Merrill Lynch Bad News Before Buyout

Top executives at Bank of America did not tell shareholders just prior to a 2008 vote on its purchase of Merrill Lynch that its losses were mounting, papers filed in shareholder litigation show. But the bank says it should not be liable to shareholders in the matter.

Lehman Brothers' First Share Sells for $33,000

While creditors continue to fight over the crumbs of Lehman Brothers, one tiny piece of the investment bank just demonstrated close to a 66,000% return on investment -- as a collectors item: A 50-cent share in the bank was sold at auction Saturday for 24,000 euros -- about $33,000.

Fraud Files: Is Ernst & Young to Blame in Lehman Bros. Fraud?

Should Ernst & Young be held responsible for the bad actions of Lehman Brothers? New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who Tuesday slapped the Big Four audit firm with civil fraud charges, thinks so. But it's not an easy question to answer.

New York Sues Ernst & Young Over Lehman Bros.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has filed a civil lawsuit against Ernst & Young, alleging that the accounting giant helped now-defunct investment bank Lehman Brothers hide billions of dollars in debt from its investors via loans disguised as sales.

Stocks Climb Back to Their Pre-Lehman Disaster Level

Stocks closed broadly higher Tuesday, helped by more deal activity in the financial sector and upbeat earnings from the tech sector. After more than two years, the market has regained all its losses following the implosion of Lehman Brothers in September 2008.

Ernst & Young May Face Fraud Charges in the Lehman Debacle

Accounting giant Ernst & Young is expected to face civil fraud charges by New York prosecutors over its alleged role in the spectacular collapse of Lehman Brothers. The lawsuit would mark the first time a Big Four accountant has been charged in regard to the financial crisis.

Banker -- or Reptile?!

As a final capper to our look at Wall Street two years after the peak of the financial crisis, we offer a different look at the masters of the universe who played the game, ruled the street, and walked away with wheelbarrow loads of cash. We've matched shots of some of the coldest, hardest predators in the world... and a bunch of cuddly reptiles.

Seven Villians of the Financial Crisis: Where Are They Now?

The financial crisis was produced by a complex set of circumstances, including a massive housing bubble, poor regulation and irresponsible lending on an epic scale. A handful of bankers became the public faces of the crisis, and now, two years later, we take a look at what became of them.

Where Were You When Lehman Brothers Collapsed?

From the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to the cubicles and boardrooms of New York's biggest banks, when Lehman Brothers failed seemingly overnight, it was clear that the rules had suddenly changed. Here are some recollections of that day in September, 2008.

Is the Financial System Safe Now -- or Just Safer?

Since Lehman's collapse in September 2008, regulators around the world have begun erecting a scaffolding of new rules and regulations designed limit excessive risk-taking. The big question is: Are they enough to prevent another financial crisis?

10 Signs the U.S. Economy Is Still on Shaky Ground

It has been two years since Lehman Brothers went under, sparking the Great Recession. While the banks have done surprisingly well in past two years, the economy is still struggling to recover and millions remain out of work. Here are 10 charts of key economic indicators to watch.

Two Years After Lehman, Muriel Siebert Warns of Danger Ahead

Muriel "Mickie" Siebert, the grande dame of Wall Street, says that Lehman Brothers should never have collapsed, that government's steps were a necessary evil and that there is a still a need for more regulation. She warns that left unregulated, the markets and the economy could still face turmoil ahead.

Two Years Later, Corporate Credit Is Flowing Again

Many aspects of the financial crisis are still with us. But when it comes to one of the most profound economic impacts of the 2008 meltdown -- the downright seizure of credit markets -- things could hardly be more different now than during the height of the crisis.

CNBC Anchor's Book Is a Fly on the Wall for Lehman's Fall

This week marks the second anniversary of an event that shook the financial industry to its core. In her newly released book, The Weekend that Changed Wall Street, CNBC anchor Maria Bartiromo gives an insider's look at the fateful days surrounding the fall of Lehman Brothers.

Lawyers to Collect $2 Billion in Fees From Lehman Bankruptcy

The lawyers and accountants circling Lehman Brothers stand to make more than $2 billion in fees for unwinding one of Wall Street's largest investment banks after its collapse in 2008 -- and that's despite the fact that many of the services are being provided at discount rates.

Two Years After Lehman:
Still Too Big to Fail

"It felt like the world was on fire," recalls financial writer Andrew Ross Sorkin, whose book Too Big To Fail covers the crisis at its peak. In an interview, he discusses the meltdown, its aftermath, the quest for power on Wall Street and why more regulation is still needed.

Two Years Later: The U.S. Economy Still Needs a Spark Plug

The capital markets have recovered nicely from the depths of the financial crisis's despair, though skittishness remains. What the economy sorely needs now is the next big thing -- perhaps a new technology that boosts business productivity.

Face-Off on Stocks: Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup

Two years after Lehman Brothers collapsed and put the financial crisis into meltdown mode, Wall Street and the financial industry are still struggling to rebuild from the ashes. But as the economy recovers, are bank stocks good buys? Here are the bull and bear cases for three of the nation's biggest banks.

Could Terrorists Create a Market Crash?

September marks the anniversary of two events that rocked the markets: the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack and the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy in 2008. Today, many people worry about the possibility of a terrorist attack on the financial system. International economist Rex Ghosh, who has written a novel about just that, discusses the threat.

Two Lehman Brothers Units Need Help to Avoid Failing

Lehman Brothers Holdings, the once great Wall Street firm that went bankrupt at the height of the financial crisis, says it will have to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into two struggling units to avoid failures that could cost the investment bank billions.

The 25 Companies That Cut 700,000 Jobs

Since the recession began, more than 8 million Americans have lost their jobs. But perhaps even more surprising is the small number of companies that are responsible for laying off such a large percentage of today's unemployed workers.

Biz Brief: Lehman Brothers' European Creditors May Get Paid in 2011

Lehman Brothers, whose 2008 death signaled the gravity of the financial crisis, remains very much alive to those of its creditors still awaiting payment. Now, it looks like some businesses in Europe could get speedier payments than they would have gotten otherwise.