On The Semi Slump, Life Insurers & Plastics

Investors have come down hard on the stocks of semiconductor companies over the past two months. Jackie examines their worries about the industry’s outlook. … Also: Is it right for private equity firms to own life insurance companies and invest the insurers’ assets? That’s happening increasingly, yet critics allege that potential conflicts of interest abound that could put insurers in harm’s way. … And: The Gulf war has disrupted the plastics production pipeline, sending the prices of virgin plastic surging at a time when US plastic recycling capacity is way down.