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AHA is also keeping an eye on the state's plan to sell off the remaining portion of its 1998 tobacco settlement for potentially billions of upfront dollars. “We also will oppose any attempts to securitize the settlement dollars," Broussard says. The settlement sale would financially benefit education, health care and coastal restoration efforts, as outlined by the state Constitution. But AHA argues the settlement, which is related to health care issues and smoking, should benefit health programs. Treasurer John Kennedy is opposed as well, citing concerns that Louisiana would end up in a financial mess by acting too quickly, rather than patiently waiting for ideal market conditions. --Jeremy Alford .
SW column: Are malls town squares of yore?
Nothing special was going on, just folks out shopping, gossiping, visiting with friends. A crew of older gentlemen sat on a bench outside the town's barbershop commenting on the comings and goings of the townspeople. Later that day, Meg and I went to The Marketplace mall to do some shopping and to meet up with some friends and I was struck by how much that movie scene reminded me of what I've seen at the area malls, especially at The Marketplace and The Mall at Greece Ridge. The food court at Marketplace was packed that day with people having a bite to eat while hanging out with friends or waiting for family members to join them from their shopping expeditions. Traditionally, a town square is a spot suitable for open markets, music concerts, political rallies and other events.
Choppy market forces cos to go slow on QIPs worth $3bn
MUMBAI: The most popular fund-raising mode for India Inc — qualified institutional placement (QIP) — has suddenly lost its glitter, with the stockmarket turning dangerously volatile. Some fund-hungry corporates are looking at slashing the QIP pricing by as much as 20-25% to be in line with their subdued stock prices, while a majority of them have put on hold their issues and are waiting for the market to recover.
Market sources said at least half-a-dozen QIPs, running into a total of $3 billion including that of Unitech, Patel Engineering and ABG Shipyard, are believed to be caught in the market spin.
Since the inception of QIPs in May 2006, India Inc has raised over Rs 25,000 crore through the QIP route, with GMR raising $1 billion — the largest so far. The market regulator SEBI through a circular dated May 8, 2006, had amended the SEBI (Disclosure of Interest and Investor) Protection Guidelines, 2000, to introduce this additional fund raising mode for listed companies from the domestic market.
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