peHUB Second Opinion 10.15

Larry Summers is turning Populist: Big Finance vs. The Middle Class (Real Times Economics)

In Defense of Smart Bankers: Yesterday I linked to Calvin Trillin’s NYT op-ed that proclaimed the financial collapse was caused by smart people. Here is one rebuttal from Dealscape, and one defense from Felix Salmon.

Private Equity Mad Libs: Here is just about any given headline about a private equity deal, fill in the blanks. “_______(deal)  signifies private equity is ______(choose one: back, still dead).” Here are two from today:

Brewing deal marks dawning of new PE era

A Private-Equity Rebirth Is Premature

Watch out: Goldman Sachs has pissed off a group of nuns. From what I can remember of Catholic school, that is the last thing you ever want to do. (Business Insider)

What buyout firms rarely admit: “Private equity firms like to talk about creating value over the long term. But like all good investors, they’re opportunistic.” (Big Money)

Popularity Contest: Private Equity is More Popular in India Than Pure Play Venture Capital (WSJ)