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FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21
MORNING CALL
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Morning Call: November 21 All Princely Sums Welcomed When do you know you’re in a seriously bad way? When it appears even a billionaire Middle Eastern investor and his $250 million wallet can no longer help you. Today, the huddle begins at Citigroup’s headquarters among its embattled CEO Vikram Pandit, chairman Sir Win Bischoff and independent director Richard Parsons, but on the heels of a stock drop of roughly 50% this week to a 15-year low, what are their options? A closer look at the possible fate of a bank that’s gone from a towering market cap of $274 billion to, just yesterday, $26 billion. Will they successfully make the 11th-hour save – or will they get Bear-Lehmaned? Welcome To ‘The Financial Equivalent Of WWII’ He’s got the sound bites down, we give him that much. But could Brian Sullivan, chief executive of search firm CTPartners, be right about a “seismic shift in the population of banking” leading to job cuts that will double to about 350,000 worldwide by mid-2009? That, it seems, is another matter. Insult To Injury Q: What’s lost more than Citigroup’s stock this week? A: Citi’s Corporate Special Opportunities hedge fund, over the last month. But facing the ninth time it has had to intervene recently on one of its alternative investment funds in a unit once headed up by CEO Pandit himself, is the bank ready to tip its hand? Big Three: Time For The Charm Offensive So, U.S. lawmakers are telling Detroit's auto makers to drop their petals, fold their tents, take their sad little financial plans and go home. Uh huh, like that’s really going to happen. Finally, Some Decent Action Criteria Caixacorp confirms it is ``in negotiations'' to sell its Repsol grubstake to OAO Lukoil. Repsol’s stock is suspended, then surges. Spain's Prime Minister Zapatero says he would prefer Repsol remains under a ``Spanish flag.'' Renaissance Capital oil guru says Lukoil will have trouble raising funds for the $12.8 billion deal. And…we’re off to the races. Friday Levity: And Now For A Word From Our Friends, The Pirates Somali pirates STILL holding for ransom a Saudi oil supertanker off the coast of East Africa have telephoned in their urgent demands. In addition to a year’s supply of Everlasting Gobstoppers, three hogsheads of uranium and an exact replica of Lord Byron’s lost canto, they would also like “only” $25 million “soon.” Which is a very reasonable request when you stop to consider the delicate intricacies of the iron-clad “Pirates’ Code of Ethics for Stolen Property,” kindly elucidated for us here by one member of the hijacking crew (and, it seems, self-appointed pirate spokesman). Merger By Numbers: Tarmac Daddy Dissecting the deal that would create the world's biggest airline. posted: Friday November 21st - 7:48am

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 09

This Week in Wall Street History: November 9 - 15 Cheers rang out on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange when the Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed the 1,000 mark on November 14, 1972. posted: Sunday November 9th - 9:00am READ MORE

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 07

Go Here Now: Portorož, Slovenia Land and sea meet in the "Port of Roses." posted: Friday November 7th - 10:47am READ MORE

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 06

Go Here Now: Margaret River Wine Region, Australia Oz for oenophiles. posted: Thursday November 6th - 2:27pm READ MORE

The Night After After Tuesday's historic election of Barack Obama, New Yorkers reflected on where we are in the world and others who have also made a difference. posted: Thursday November 6th - 1:54pm READ MORE

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 05

Go Here Now: Jaipur, India If you think you've experienced opulence, just you wait... posted: Wednesday November 5th - 9:23am READ MORE

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 04

Go Here Now :Malta For those looking for a true "Isle of Tranquility." posted: Tuesday November 4th - 3:13pm READ MORE

MONDAY NOVEMBER 03

Go Here Now: Iceland Where else can you get a first-world country at third-world prices? posted: Monday November 3rd - 1:44pm READ MORE

Brazilian Bungalows Go on the Block Ponta dos Ganchos, an exclusive beach resort on Brazil's southeastern coast, is adding five new bungalows, and the inaugural stays will go to the highest bidders. The silent auction, which ends on October 31, 2008, will benefit the Instituto Guga Kuerten posted: Monday November 3rd - 9:12am READ MORE

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 02

This Week in Wall Street History: Novemer 2 - 8 While government offices and the banks closed to the public, the NYSE decided to keep the floor open starting in 1984. And the floors have stayed open since. posted: Sunday November 2nd - 10:41pm READ MORE