Q+A - What is shadow banking and why does it matter?

LONDON, Feb & (Reuters) - The shadow banking system makes up 25 to 30 percent of the total financial system, according to the Financial Stability Board (FSB), a regulatory task force for the world's group of top 20 economies (G20). This largely unregulated sector was worth about $60 trillion in 2010, having grown from an estimated $27 trillion in 2002, according to the FSB. While the sector's ...

Prop 8: Why 18,000 Is The Critical Number

In the months leading up to the passage of Proposition 8 — the controversial 2008 California ballot initiative that bans gay marriage — some 18,000 same sex couples obtained marriage licenses. The marriages came to a screeching halt when Prop 8 was passed with 52...

Scotlands credit rating is just fine

Another day and yet another scare story, this one being that an independent Scotland would not be triple-A credit rated.

Why Apple's A5 is so big--and iPhone 4 won't get Siri

A diagram of Audience's sales pitch: identify the speaker's voice and isolate it from background noise. (Credit: Audience) Apple's A5 processor includes noise-reduction circuitry licensed from a start-up called Audience , and a chip analyst believes that fact resolves an iPhone 4S mystery and explains why the iPhone 4 lacks the Siri voice-control system . Audience revealed details of its Apple ...

Super Bowl 2012: Why New York Giants Receivers Deserve the Credit for Win

Over the past two days, the world has been lauding Eli Manning for leading the New York Giants to a comeback win in Super Bowl XLVI. While the younger Manning certainly deserves some plaudits, the real credit for the victory should go to New York's fantastic receivers. Manning had to throw the passes on Sunday night, but his trio of wideouts repeatedly made big plays that kept New York's offense ...