Many small businesses get the cash they need to operate and expand from so-called factors. One of the biggest factors in the business is CIT, and with CIT on the ropes, small businesses are worried. Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch explains what factoring is...

Many asset-backed securities have been downgraded from AAA recently. But at least one issuer has miraculously repackaged a downgraded deal to make some of its bonds worth a AAA rating again. Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch explains.

Banks are paying back TARP money and claiming they're the picture of health. So what happened to all those toxic assets that were clogging their arteries a few months back? Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch explains.

Dark pools are exchanges where people trade stocks anonymously. Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch explains how they work, and why the SEC is considering regulating them.

It's a vital part of the financial system, and the government is considering changes to it.

Cap and Trade is the linchpin of the government's effort to curb carbon emissions. Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch explains how the cap and trade model works.

In stories about the auto companies and the banks, we've been hearing about debt-to-equity swaps and exchanging preferred shares for common stock. To understand how those work, you need to understand a company's capital structure. Senior...

The shadow banking system is a key component of the U.S. economy, but the financial crisis has frozen it solid. Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch explains what shadow banking is and why it's important enough to warrant its own bailout, called the Term...

The U.S. Treasury Department plans to recruit private investors to take toxic assets off banks' balance sheets. Senior Editor Paddy Hirsch explains how the plan is supposed to work.

Millions of Americans are wondering why AIG has paid so much taxpayer money to other banks. One reason is because AIG has had to honor "collateral calls" -- demands made by banks on the insurance contracts it's written. Senior Editor...