WBZ.com
Listen Live Now!

WBZ's New England Business

Bank of America buying back risky securities from two Mass. agencies

  • Highlights
  • Full Text

Play from 0:00[0:00] ..." This is -- but he sold in the WBZ newsroom. Bank of America has agreed to return a total of 43 million dollars to appear state agencies in the ongoing unraveling of risky auction rate"...

Play from 1:28[1:28] ..." rid of the conversations that this securities division may have had a Bank of America for the first we knew. We want to make sure that they were aware of our situation and certainly in previous settlements they have really prioritized. Public agencies in the commonwealth. Terms -- repurchase of these securities so we've made them aware of our situation but beyond that we really were not involved"...

Play from 2:42[2:42] ..." there were already AAA. In our case they were students. They were. Collateralized by a student loans from government guarantees that certainly. Days looked and felt like liquid and very secure investments but that contracted --"...

Play from 0:00[0:00]" This is -- but he sold in the WBZ newsroom. Bank of America has agreed to return a total of 43 million dollars to appear state agencies in the ongoing unraveling of risky auction rate securities. Now the bank will buy back the securities that were purchased by the turnpike authority and the Massachusetts housing partnership. The executive director of the partnership Clark Ziegler tells me there was great concern."

Play from 0:24[0:24]" We had. Some of our cash auction rate securities and like many other institutional and nonprofit investors you know we we. They were -- as. Very liquid investments that rule is through this capture money market account so we have a pretty substantial amount of funding in my in auction rate securities when the market --"

Play from 0:45[0:45]" And what happened when that more."

Play from 0:48[0:48]" approach these assets they still had value the -- triple -- rated securities but -- there was no market to sell them so fortunately for us we did not meet liquidity. -- for the near future so we did not have any kind of crisis. But it was certainly concern having an insignificant amount of cash tied up investment and couldn't sell."

Play from 1:07[1:07]" So did you contact these states securities division."

Play from 1:10[1:10]" We were in contact -- Security division. And we also were talking directly to bank America and in after they buy back these securities from day one but until this we literally have been any movement."

Play from 1:23[1:23]" So how long to this negotiation going for."

Play from 1:26[1:26]" You know -- I really went up. Party to rid of the conversations that this securities division may have had a Bank of America for the first we knew. We want to make sure that they were aware of our situation and certainly in previous settlements they have really prioritized. Public agencies in the commonwealth. Terms -- repurchase of these securities so we've made them aware of our situation but beyond that we really were not involved in the discussions between. The factors that office and picked --"

Play from 1:54[1:54]" So the settlement is obviously very positive for your agency as I understand it. You'll be receiving about 24 point nine million in in return for these securities. And going forward. Is your investment program changing at all."

Play from 2:11[2:11]" However -- I think I think everyone who was positions you know treasury management and learn some lesson from this experience and we have long you know. Look or investment policy very hard and and certainly our. Point two. Take a very cautious approach to two. Caption that's going forward but I think a lot of lessons of Miller -- a lot of people as part of the experience."

Play from 2:37[2:37]" Now these auction rate securities though were were marketed as as safe investments."

Play from 2:40[2:40]" Oh absolutely they were there were of these there were already AAA. In our case they were students. They were. Collateralized by a student loans from government guarantees that certainly. Days looked and felt like liquid and very secure investments but that contracted --"

Play from 2:56[2:56]" So going forward what is the major change that Yule undertake."

Play from 3:02[3:02]" You know we have generally been very especially public agency that pretty cautious around. Looking for highly you know very highly rated very liquid investments and certainly -- Going forward I think we are going to. You know -- maturities pretty pretty tightly in terms of the cash investments that we -- and I think you know we will learn some lessons as many many of the treasury managers around the country."

Play from 3:26[3:26]" Fair enough Clark its pleasures that you want to thank you so much thank you."

Other Episodes in this series

A bleak day of announced job cuts

audio

26 Jan 2009

A bleak day of announced job cuts 

Tens of thousands of jobs were lost Monday, as a number of companies slashed payrolls. WBZ's Anthony Silva has details.

listen

[0:14]..." with a one. Sprint Nextel will lay out some 8000 positions and Home Depot and -- the comfortable clothes its expo design locations. Eliminating some 7000 jobs. Home Depot's move reflects the continuing effects of the recession and downturn in the home improvement and building markets. -- came Home Depot spoke with. "...

[2:58]..." to. You know. Still have some of those customers shop and traditional home Depot's stores but. We have like -- capsule and decline in demand for and for these tiny and declined. Design projects. "...

[3:11]..." is WBZ business producer Michael Epstein stay with us for New -- business reports weekday mornings at 38 past the hour. And weekday afternoons at 25 past the hour here on WBZ news radio 1030. "...

timeline

3:24more in this series...

Massachusetts unemployment rate leaps a full point in December

audio

22 Jan 2009

Massachusetts unemployment rate leaps a full point in December 

The state's jobless rate skyrocketed last month. WBZ New England Business Editor Anthony Silva has reaction from UMass Amherst Economics Professor Richard Wolfe.

listen

[0:31]..." now. Even beginning to play with the -- deep corrections. That the United States faces -- that -- Massachusetts cannot escape from. And I'm afraid that not only of these bad but that's the every single "...

[0:53]..." of many examples this morning statistics included. Absolutely it's. Announcement. About. Slowing economic growth. In China. China is one of the very few countries in the world that is still growing. As opposed to shrinking which "...

[2:44]..." look like him in the offing and it still possible. Then yes Massachusetts's. Health care industry. At least parts of it might be able to weather is still. "...

timeline

3:54more in this series...

Boston-based energy company will help city save money

audio

21 Jan 2009

Boston-based energy company will help city save money 

WBZ New England Business Editor Anthony Silva talks with EnerNOC Chairman Tim Healy about the venture.

listen

[2:00]..." not hours not days but certainly minutes. Were running a real time electricity grid. So it only makes sense that we should be able to do what we do they'll do electricity grid in real -- we're talking about electronic signals that go out in minutes and were able to curtail. Hundreds of megawatts in the New England region alone our company manages well over 2000 megawatts of a demand response across North America. And that means that it's it's "...

[0:07]..." electronically regulate peak electric use. In -- says City Hall the Boston Public Library in Boston Police headquarters will be tied into the electronic demand response network. I spoke with the chairman of you know knock "...

[1:31]..." and in turn it helps us avoid those those. Peak times and electricity grid when. Or nervous about blackouts and brownouts and electricity outages in the region. "...

timeline

4:50more in this series...

Search:        
  # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Featured Businesses Join the Network
Helping Hands Of America
DONATE YOUR CAR OR BOAT TODAY TO A LOCAL CHARITY! YOU CAN HELP A GREAT CAUSE RIGHT HERE IN NEW ENGLAND AND IT’S 100 PERCENT TAX DEDUCTIBILE TOO. CALL HELPING HANDS TODAY TO SCHEDULE A PICK UP AT YOUR HOME…1-888-881-9-0-9-0 (NINE OH, NINE OH).
Winters Company
 
EJP Training Dynamics
 
F & W Pest Control
We’ll Get ‘EM
Kantrovitz &Associates, P.C.
Contact: Steven H. Kantrovitz Business hours: 8:00am to 6:00pm
Community Associations Institute - New England Chapter
New England's Advocate for Responsible Communities
Wakefield Orthodontic Care
Specialties Include: Adult & Child orthodontic care Sleep Apnea treatment TMJ treatments
Jiffy Lube
 
Wedding Planning
Find Wedding Cake, Wedding Ceremony, Bridal Shows, and other wedding resources in the Boston area from PartyPOP.com
Click here to visit the CBS Radio siteClick here to visit the Mix 98.5 site Click here to visit the WBCN 104.1 site Click here to visit the Oldies 103.3 site Click here to visit the WZLX site