Automobile-finance companies pushed hard to get in on the government’s $700 billion financial rescue plan. Now, with the industry’s troubles expected to deepen, they are exploring further moves, including help from the Federal Reserve.
The plan outlined by the U.S. central bank Tuesday to effectively lend to companies to fund day-to-day operations will likely not include [...]

It’s not just the middle class that has money worries. Even the affluent are worrying about running out of cash.
American Express Publishing and Harrison Group 
According to a new survey from American Express Publishing and the Harrison Group, nearly half of respondents with incomes of $250,000 or more agreed with the statement that “I worry that [...]

Crisis, schmisis. When super wealthy car freaks want something, money is no object.
According to press reports in London, Aston Martin already has buyers lined up for its entire production of the One-77, a 200-mph car that is expected to be launched next fall. Sticker price: $2.04 million. That blows past the Bugatti Veyron’s once-shocking price [...]

Last week, Damien Hirst sold more than $200 million of pickled animals and splatter paintings in London. A unnamed buyer recently paid $28.5 million for a vintage Ferrari 250 GTO in a private sale, according to knowledgeable chatter on FerrariChat. A single bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée Conti 1962 fetched $13,310 (against an [...]

One of Shanghai’s luxury fairs with the most god-awful names is getting a makeover. And a name change. From now on, the Millionaire Fair will be known quite simply as — The Fair.
The name change, however, still doesn’t mean we’re going to be able to afford anything at the fair. The over-the-top luxury sports cars [...]

A couple of years ago, Forbes magazine came out with a list of top billionaire homes.
 
What was remarkable was the aerial photos of mansions owned by super-private billionaires such as Bill Gates, Michael Dell, George Lucas and Abigail Johnson of Fidelity. Many appear to have been shot from a helicopter or plane — making the [...]

The Sun reports on a Middle Eastern sheikh who flew his Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 (Batman?s other ride) on a round trip from Qatar to London and back. All for an ?oil change.?

The newspaper reports that the $300,000 super-car was flown to London on a scheduled Qatar Airways flight, then flown back three days later after [...]

If anyone ever needed a crash course in how not to lead, Britain’s political, institutional, corporate, and sports leaders have delivered it during the last two months. We have seen a catalogue of mismanagement and failures from leaders whose competence, intelligence and sense and integrity leave much to be desired. Here are some highlights (or, [...]

Even as the economy continues to show signsof softening in many sectors, competition for top talent remains intense. And, as I’ve discussed before, just as in consumer marketing, one of the keys to attracting talent is to offer elements of the employee experience that match the values and priorities of the individual being recruited.
What are [...]