treasury

Considering where the iconic carmaker has been in recent years, the pending IPO -- and robust investor demand for shares -- is a remarkably positive step. But GM still has plenty of problem spots that will need fixing if this historic event is to have lasting meaning.

ING Investment Management forecasts that stock markets will rise between 8% and 12% in 2011, thanks to a low-inflation, low-interest environment supported by the Fed, despite weak GDP growth. And for those looking for to increase their investment yields, they have a few suggestions.

GM reportedly plans to raise the price range on its pending initial public of stock to as much as $33 a share. The increase to $31 to $33 a share from the initial $26 to $29 a share is being prompted by strong demand for the stock.

The Federal Reserve bought $7.3 billion worth of U.S. Treasuries Friday as it started a second round of quantitative easing meant to stimulate the nation's economy, media reports indicate. The QE2 plan, designed to boost job creation and prevent deflation, has been highly criticized.

The U.S. government started the new fiscal year on the right foot, posting $140.4 billion deficit in October, the first month of the new fiscal year. That was substantially lower than the $148 billion deficit that had been forecast.

With just days to go before its anticipated initial public offering of stock, General Motors reported Wednesday that it earned $2 billion in the third quarter, its most profitable this year.

As Bank of America continues to cope with fallout from the housing and mortgage crisis, the financial institution may have to pay some year-end employee bonuses in the form of stock because of a possible cash shortfall related to its buy-back of stock from the federal government.

The U.S. Treasury Department will issue the second-largest quantity of debt ever for the fourth quarter of this calendar year. However, the quality is less than previously forecast because of a higher-than-expected government cash balance.

In addition to state tax credits from Michigan -- and the billions of dollars already loaned it by U.S. taxpayers in the form of last year's bailout -- Chrysler may soon get approval for billions more in loans from the Department of Energy.

The government's efforts to stem the foreclosure crisis may have been hampered by its reliance on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, according to a new report. The two mortgage giants have "a history of profound corporate mismanagement," and were overly reliant on subcontractors, the report by the...