SMITH BRAIN TRUST -- Last week the Swiss National Bank unexpectedly dropped the currency peg they’ve maintained since 2011, a move that bankrupted several retail foreign exchange brokerages worldwide.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST -- U.S.-based multinational corporations move an average of $12 billion in taxable income back into the country each year, tax free, through complex mergers and acquisitions. That’s according to new research by Emanuel Zur, an assistant professor of business at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, and two coauthors.

By ANIL K. GUPTA

SMITH BRAIN TRUST -- President Obama’s proposed fee on big banks would hurt homebuyers and fail to control risk-taking by those firms with more than $50 billion in assets, says Clifford Rossi, professor of the practice at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. The proposal, slated for inclusion in tonight’s State of the Union address, would affect about 100 financial institutions.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST -- Since 2008 the United States has had a zombie mortgage-financing system, former bank executive Cliff Rossi writes today in a guest column for The Hill.

Hot Topic Alert: January 15, 2015 The World Bank warns permanent stagflation faces euro-currency countries. Countering the threat, the European Central Bank (ECB) sets to unleash a round of quantitative easing (QE), which means creating money to buy financial assets, including government bonds.

The American Marketing Association has selected Professor Roland Rust at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business as an inaugural AMA Fellow in a new program that honors top marketing academics. The AMA, the largest marketing association in North America, selected Rust because of his contributions in teaching, research, practice, service and leadership. 

Thursday, January 15, 2015, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, January 18, 2015, 7:30 a.m. With the start of the new year, many people’s resolutions include setting career goals. Staying focused and setting a plan can make 2015 the year you land your dream job or that big promotion.

Thursday, October 16, 2014, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, October 19, 2014, 7:30 a.m. Digital technology is changing everything these days, including the face of marketing and retailing. How is this impacting consumer behavior and what’s up next? 

Thursday, January 29, 2015, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, February 1, 2015, 7:30 a.m. In today’s fast-paced world, executives have more on their plates than ever. But taking time to continue their education could make them better managers and leaders. In this issue of Smith Business Close-Up with the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, host Jeff Salkin sits down with Gary Cohen to talk about the importance of executive education.