What's Missing from the White House's Budget
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – When federal budgets are released from the White House Office of Management and Budget, there are typically a few holes here and there, some missing details, and perhaps some wishful thinking since the budget assumes that everything the president proposes will become enacted.
The Six Big Bank Risks for 2017
SMITH BRAIN TRUST — The risk landscape for banks has changed since last year. For starters, Congress and the Trump Administration have started discussions on a regulatory overhaul. And, meanwhile, interest rates are on the rise, and the Federal Reserve is shifting its focus toward maintaining economic gains made in the past few years.
Healthcare, Not the Tax Code, Is Drag on U.S. Firms
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – Health insurance – not the U.S. tax code – is "crippling our business around the world," Warren Buffett said during Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting on May 6, 2017, in Omaha.
Wall Street's 'Fear Gauge' Is at a 23-Year Low. Should We Worry?
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – Leave it to a period of calm to inject nervousness into the market, as it did this week when the Chicago Board Options Exchange's Volatility Index, or VIX as it is known, dropped to a level not seen in about 23 years. The drift lower in the so-called fear index has market watchers worriedly speculating about a calm before a storm.
Three Ways Trump’s Tax Plan Would Affect Families
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – President Donald Trump’s tax reform proposal, as unveiled last week, would reduce income taxes for many Americans, says William Longbrake, an execut
Trump’s Tax Reform Plan Under the Microscope
SMITH BRAIN TRUST — How will President Donald Trump's proposed tax plan affect your household? Today in Smith Brain Trust, Albert "Pete" Kyle, Charles E.
Gender Diversity on Corporate Boards: How Do We Get There?
Gender diversity can improve a firm's performance, research shows, but consensus is fleeting as to why a lack diversity persists on corporate boards.
Women on Boards: Avoiding Tokenism
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – Could activism inspired by International Women's Day, such as State Street Global Advisors' placing a statue of a young girl before the iconic charging bull of Wall Street, actually hamper the push to gain more women on U.S. corporate boards?
March 2017 is Smith Women’s Month
In conjunction with Women’s History Month, the Office of Diversity Initiatives at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business has organized March 2017 as Smith Women’s Month – a month of empowerment, enlightenment and education around topics of interest to Smith women.
Latest Wells Fargo Fail a Temporary Setback
SMITH BRAIN TRUST – Wells Fargo’s recent “living will” stumble is just that, says finance professor David Kass at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.