SACRAMENTO - September 14 2009 - Independent Energy Producers (IEP), which represents California's renewable energy providers, today said Governor Schwarzenegger's decision to veto SB 14 "keeps California moving toward a cleaner, greener, more renewable energy future."

In an attempt to give everyone a bit of additional breathing space, Governor Schwarzenegger recently signed a bill to impose another 90-day moratorium on foreclosures in California. This may benefit some financial institutions that will be closing their respective quarterly books in two weeks, to include (but not limited to) Wells Fargo (WFC), Bank of America (BAC), US Bancorp (USB), City National (CYN).Apart from some lenders outside of California that have installed voluntary foreclosure freezes, foreclosures are on the rise. Losses appear to have approximate $125,000 per home early this year.Unfortunately at this point of time the Administrations new plan announced last week does not actually stop any foreclosures. This plan, while allowing for mortgage modifications, the reduced payments are only temporary and will reset in 5 years, which does not truly deleverage the consumer. Read the full analyst report ...

The Markets Crash, Depression and Hyperinflation - The Triple Crown of Financial Catastrophes.

What a great time to be an economist!

Yesterday was another dull day in the markets. The Dow was steady. Oil rose a buck. Gold went up $3.

But there’s nothing dull about the economic news. Already, we’ve been able to see things we never thought we’d see. It’s as if our strange neighbours had invited friends, and even some animals, over for a night of fun – and left their curtains open.

So far, we’ve seen a stock market crash and what looks like the beginning of another depression, already marked by the biggest bailouts and nationalizations in history. We’re getting an eyeful! And with a little luck, we’ll probably see a bout of hyperinflation too. Crash, Depression, Hyperinflation – this is the Triple Crown of Financial Catastrophes!

It is remarkable enough that we have been able to witness a genuine

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USA, General Motors and the state of California all to go Bankrupt

As GM goes… so goes America…

Uh oh…

Stocks rose yesterday; the Dow went up 50 points. The bear market rally is still on. Oil touched the $60 mark… a sure sign, say analysts, that the global economy is picking up. And the dollar fell further… to $1.36 per euro. Gold held steady, at $912 an ounce.

While most stocks advanced yesterday, General Motors (NYSE:GM) backed up.

The experts say the company is going broke. “Chapter 11 looms,” says a Bloomberg report. Investors sold the stock down to $1.15 – a price GM hasn’t seen in more than 70 years. At that price you can buy the whole company for $700 million. Peanuts. Some fund managers earn that much in a single year.

Meanwhile, the USA follows the same downward slide as GM. Both are dogged by high debts, high costs and low

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SEAL BEACH, Calif. -- April 27 2009 -- The State of California's Air Resources Board yesterday adopted a regulation to implement Governor Schwarzenegger's Low Carbon Fuel Standard calling for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from California's transportation fuels by 10 percent by 2020.

Gold booms after global strife, Byron King on whether the precious metal is still a buy… Stimulus bill a done deal, details of the final 1,073-page fiasco… States in peril, revenue crash causes budget crisis from California to New Jersey… Wal-Mart surprises Street, Rob Parenteau on retail’s sudden comeback… Stocks dive toward new crisis lows, equity advice from Mayer and Buffett… Plus, have you noticed? One major index quietly up 30% YTD…

So how’s the financial world faring so far this week? One chart should set the scene:

A seven-month high for our favorite metal may be sign that investors are losing faith in…. umm… everything. In fact, gold is up 33% since October, making it one of the planet’s finest asset classes during this “credit crisis.” Who’d have thought?

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This year has been a big win for those who have been rooting for a larger renewable energy industry and reduced dependence on carbon based fuels. There have been several initiatives, legislation, and events that are expected to invigorate the growth of solar, wind, and other alternative energy markets.

– In October, the 30-percent Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) was extended for 8 years. Notably, this extension removed the low monetary caps for residential installations. Additionally, for the first time, publicly regulated utilities can now monetize the ITC, making direct investment into solar project assets less costly.

– In November, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rejected a permit for a new coal-fired power plant in Utah. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment also denied permits for two large coal-fired units. Each of these decisions results in a reduction of greenhouse gas pollution as well as questions the future of

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November 19, 2008 - Solar stocks to a hit on Tuesday on comments from J.P. Morgan’s Christopher Blansett about the potential for reduced subsidies for solar in Europe. Blansett said that 2008 may he thinks 2008 was a peak for solar energy subsidization and recommended First Solar (Nasdaq:FSLR) as a “safe haven.” We disagree with Blansett’s assessment and timing. We think his assessment is doesn’t account for the legislative realities in place in the U.S., Japan and Europe. And we think his timing to call for instability in solar stocks is extremely late. Here is our take: Blansett clearly isn’t impressed by Governor Schwarzenegger’s mandate for 33% renewable energy contribution in California, the potential impact and long-term stability in the U.S. market provided by the eight-year solar tax credit extension, and the expectation that Obama’s administration will likely accelerate the passage in Congress of a federal RPS. We think these ...

Hedge Fund Guide - CaliforniaGuide to Hedge Funds in CaliforniaHere is a short guide collection of articles on the hedge fund industry in California. I am always looking for more valuable online tools and resources to add to these geographical hedge fund guides to the hedge fund industry. If you have a white paper or PowerPoint that I can include here please send me an email and I will post it for everyone's benefit.If you are looking for specific details on San Francisco please see our recently published Guide to Hedge Funds in San Francisco.Pension Fund Investments in California. This ppt presentation (created ...