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HomeWikileaks vs Wall Street
Posted by Larry Doyle on December 21st, 2010 7:46 AM |
Will Wikileaks ‘regulate’ Wall Street in a manner that Washington never would or could?
The technological revolution over the last few decades has taken us far further and far faster than many ever would have believed. Just think of your daily regimen and the number of times you utilize technology and equipment that were mere dreams not long ago. Every lane on the ‘technological superhighway’ would clearly seem to be high-speed and E-Z pass only. As individuals travel this highway the world has gotten very small very quickly. Perhaps we could say that the world has become ‘illuminated.’ (more…)
State Budgets: Day of Reckoning
Posted by Larry Doyle on December 19th, 2010 9:09 PM |
For those who may have missed CBS News 60 Minutes this evening, there was a fabulous segment on the impending disasters within our municipal finance sector. This piece entitled State Budgets: Day of Reckoning runs for approximately 14 minutes and is a MUST SEE.
The problems embedded within a number of states and across hundreds–if not thousands–of local municipalities are not going away. Will Uncle Sam need to provide another trillion dollar bailout? Will ‘red states’ be asked to bail out ‘blue states’, perhaps starting with Illinois? Let’s navigate.
Larry Doyle
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I have no affiliation or business interest with any entity referenced in this commentary. The opinions expressed are my own and not those of Greenwich Investment Management. As President of Greenwich Investment Management, an SEC regulated privately held registered investment adviser, I am merely a proponent of real transparency within our markets so that investor confidence and investor protection can be achieved.
Gaining the Edge
Posted by Larry Doyle on December 17th, 2010 7:20 AM |
What competitive individual worth his salt does not want to ‘gain the edge’? Have you ever come across successful individuals–success being a very relative term–who did not want to ‘gain an edge’ and then widen the gap with the competition? I haven’t.
I had fully intended on writing this morning about the ongoing developments in the insider trading scandal sweeping across Wall Street. ‘Gaining the edge’ is very much the common thread that runs through this story. The lengths to which selected individuals would go to ‘gain that edge’ make for interesting reading. The wearing of wiretaps by informants adds to the intrigue. Where will the story lead? Which hedge funds may be implicated? What ‘masters of the universe’ may fall while pursuing their untold riches and accompanying success?
Then I thought, why would I want to take readers into this seamy world and give attention to those who may break the rules to ‘gain that edge.’ I don’t. At least not today. (more…)
What Is Going On In the Bond Market?
Posted by Larry Doyle on December 15th, 2010 7:02 AM |
Interest rates globally have moved up approximately 50 basis points (.5%) over the last month with the bulk of that move having occurred in the last week. What is going on? What is driving this move higher? A harbinger of better days ahead or an indication that the massive deficits in selected nations will require higher rates to attract capital? Or both of these reasons and a lot more. Let’s navigate. (more…)
A ‘Graphic’ View of the U.S. Credit Collapse
Posted by Larry Doyle on December 14th, 2010 6:28 AM |
If a picture paints a thousand words, then the graphs I am highlighting today would encompass many volumes. I thank the regular reader of Sense on Cents who brought them to my attention. Major prop to Barry Ritholtz of The Big Picture who ran this commentary yesterday. Major credit to the writer at the Global Macro Monitor blog.
The Global Macro Monitor blog was started by an independent trader and economist and, in a prior life, was a global macro hedge fund PM/trader, headed emerging market bond trading desks on Wall Street, and an economist/global strategist, beginning his career at the World Bank in the mid 1980’s. His unique and unconventional views are reflected on his website at marcromon.wordpress.com.
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We constructed these charts with data from today’s release of the Federal Reserve’s Flow of Funds. They are both stunning and frightening as they illustrate the cardiac arrest that took place in the credit markets. The collapse in credit issuance/borrowing began in 2008 and would have been net negative without the Federal government. In 2009, for example, the Federal government was 141 percent of total net credit borrowings. (more…)
Illinois and Loan Sharks
Posted by Larry Doyle on December 13th, 2010 7:10 AM |
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Those strapped for cash will go to great lengths to buy time and seek relief. This reality is not pleasant but it is reality. In a world awash in a sea of debt, the debtors will continually be faced with the prospects of devaluing, defaulting, or restructuring their debts. Prior to defaulting or restructuring, debtors will often resort to “unique strategies” to postpone the day of reckoning.
This reality very often plays out at the individual level or the small business level. When large corporate entities are forced to “unique strategies” to continue operations, that typically is not a very good sign. But what about municipalities? What does it mean when a city, state, or town is forced to a “unique strategy” in order to continue operations? Not a very good sign either, right? Right.
Well, indications are that the state of Illinois is resorting to a “unique strategy” and “paying up” in order to get short term financing. (more…)
Mark Madoff’s Suicide
Posted by Larry Doyle on December 11th, 2010 2:44 PM |
Bernie Madoff may currently be housed in the Butner Federal Correction Complex in Butner, North Carolina but with news this morning that his son Mark took his own life is there really any doubt that Bernie ‘killed’ his own son? I think not.
I feel sorry for the Madoff family and all those impacted by Mark Madoff’s suicide. Although I believe Bernie is evil incarnate, my faith principles hold that every life is precious. The loss of life–especially a relatively young life–is truly tragic. The taking of one’s own life strikes me as the most tragic. Why do I feel that?
Anybody impacted by death knows that the healing process requires closure. With suicide, there never truly is real closure.
“Why?” “Why?” “Why?” (more…)
“The Lack of Transparency and Accountability at FINRA Is Absurd”
Posted by Larry Doyle on December 10th, 2010 6:46 AM |
I detest those people and organizations paying mere lip service to issues needing real transparency and accountability.
I love having the voice provided by Sense on Cents so I can highlight a wide array of these issues and so people can more effectively navigate the economic landscape. I also love being able to ask the hard questions and call out those whom I think are not serving the public interest.
What else do I love? I love when a voice far stronger than my own echoes my thoughts, shares my opinion, and blasts away in pursuit of real truth, transparency, and integrity along our economic landscape.
With only a few exceptions, the media as a whole has shown itself unwilling to truly take the gloves off and go after the aforementioned ‘lip serving’ individuals and institutions. Independent watchdogs in pursuit of good government are far more aggressive.
On this note and against this backdrop, I have to admit my adrenaline picked up yesterday. How so? Let’s navigate as I was informed of the following: (more…)
