Editor's Note: Matthew Beller is a former employee of the Federal Reserve Board and the Securities and Exchange Commission. He currently works for a private investment firm in Los Angeles, California

As the credit crisis commenced in 2007, paradoxically, nobody actually defaulted. Outside of sub-prime delinquencies, corporate defaults were at a record low. Instead, investors in high-quality (AAA-

Traders with a background in stocks, futures or FOREX are sometimes thrown off balance when they begin learning about options. One of the biggest hurdles is learning the various types of spreads, the

With the IShares DJ US Real Estate (IYR) up 50% from the March 6 lows, I'm not the only bear on commercial real estate (CRE) wondering whether this sector has seen its worst days and is ready for a c

The impending arrival of grandson number 2 thwarted our annual pilgrimage to the Community Bankers Association meeting in Phoenix this past week, as our priorities and what matters most comes fi

Credit default swaps (CDSs) are complex and powerful financial instruments with frequently have unforeseen consequences for market participants and the financial system as a whole. As former New York

There isn’t an economic forecaster or media pundit alive who isn’t angling to be the first to (correctly) call the bottom in housing. Many have tried;  they all have failed. But what

These days, working on Wall Street sucks. A retired financier recently told the New York Times, “I’d almost rather say I’m a pornographer,” Another investment banker reca

Editor's Note: The following was posted in real time on our premium Buzz & Banter (click for a free trial). It's being shared here for the benefit of the Minyanville community. Gold for the Long

Editor's Note: Dan Englander, formerly a Managing Director at Allen & Company, is currently Managing Partner at Ursula Capital Partners, which invests in US equities. Mr. Englander is also a dire