The Assault on Market Transparency

Interesting post from Steele Street Blog, The Assault on Market Transparency:
“When a free market works it is a beautiful think. Adam Smith’s invisible hand graces many a bargain from flat screen TV’s to fast food. Supply and demand work as opposing forces in a tug of war as the market sets the price of goods and [...]

Credit crunch hits car loan seekers

Car loans are now harder to get because of of the credit crunch.   According to this story in the Tennessean, lenders are asking for higher downpayments, conducting tougher credit checks, and in general, making it tougher for consumers to get car loans. 

The Bank of Mom and Dad

The Wall Street Journal offers advice for young adults needing a short-term loan:  get a loan from the bank of Mom and Dad.   No Plan B is suggested if Mom and Dad don’t have the cash.   

Students hard hit by bounced check fees

This story in USA Today details deals that universities make with banks to market debit and credit cards to students.  Andrew Cuomo, New York AG, is investigating these arrangements.   Most interesting is the chart at the very end of the story.  Because students write smaller than average checks (about $12) the per dollar cost of [...]

Audit finds CFSA “Best Practices” widely implemented

Global Compliance, an independent auditing company, found that 99 percent of CFSA-member companies were incompliance with the new Best Practices announced last February.    In fact, as this news release indiciates,  only five of the surveyed stores were not in compliance and among this stores, the infractions were minor.