Monetary System

I might have egg all over my face quicker than quick about my $150 oil call. It seems the Fannie-Freddie bailout chatter is spooking stock markets, currency markets and the oil market. This is going to be a volatile day.The dollar dropped…

"I think a lot of banks are already bankrupt." "And a lot of insurance companies and financial institutions, but they hide their rotten assets in level three asset categories, where you don't need to value them." "I think the financial…

The FT reports: Citigroup is close to agreeing a sale of its German retail banking operations to Credit Mutuel for between €3bn and €5bn, after the French bank outbid Deutsche Bank in a close race, according to bankers close to the…

The old adage goes that on a Parents Day, a class of children brought their parents in to school. A few parents got up in front of the class to explain what they did for a living. One woman was a firefighter. One man was a baseball player.…

The situation with Fannie and Freddie is coming to a head soon. Here are a few links on the chatter in the markets and on the blogosphere:Fannie, Freddie `Insolvent' After Losses, Poole Says - BloombergU.S. Mulls Future of Fannie, Freddie -…

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the Treasury is concerned enough about the viability of Fannie and Freddie that they have discussed contingency plans in the case of potential bankruptcy.Given the level of risk these two are…

How many AAA companies do you know of that have seen 80% declines in their market value?Two that I can think of:Fannie Mae (FNM)and Freddie Mac (FRE)

Latest Major Bankruptcy News 2007 06 13 IndyMac Sued Over Investor Claims It Hid Loan Losses 2008 06 30 IndyMac to Trim Operations, Not Shut Down, Perry Says 2008 07 01 IndyMac Chief Financial Officer A. Scott Keys Resigns 2008 07 07…

$75 billion is the capital shortfall that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are facing, according to a report by Lehman Brothers. This type of worry is the reason for their sudden fall in the markets yesterday.Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac triggered…

This morning I was in my usual routine, listening to 'Wake Up To Money," and the first guest came on the show from the British Chambers of Commerce. He was alarmed at the sudden slowdown in the UK. Consumer confidence is down ad shoppers…