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HomeLibor Scandal: Will Wall Street Run Out The Clock?
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 20th, 2012 9:08 AM |
Dean Smith was a master practitioner as basketball coach at the University of North Carolina.
While many fans of the game may not have appreciated the style of ball played by Coach Smith, he was focused on one thing. Winning. What was Coach Smith’s signature style offensive strategy toward the end of games? The four corners.
College basketball during a large part of Coach Smith’s tenure operated without a shot clock so the team in possession of the ball often would spread the floor and run the clock down during the final stages of the game. The North Carolina Tar Heels under Coach Smith ran this “keepaway” style to perfection.
We see a very similar version of this offensive “running the clock out” currently on Wall Street. How so? Let’s navigate and address current developments in what I view as the largest financial scandal in history, that is the Libor scandal. (more…)
Chris Whalen on QE3: “Core Problem is Fraud” Recommended
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 19th, 2012 2:47 PM |
I have long maintained that if and when private capital is not protected that it will flee or perhaps just stay under the mattress. I strongly believe we have experienced that very scenario in our nation as a result of the massive frauds perpetrated throughout our markets and economy. Who would seem to share that view? Perhaps the highest rated banking analyst in the market today, Tangent Capital Partners’ Chris Whalen.
In what can only be described as a Sense on Cents classic, Whalen shares his views on the recently announced QE3 at The Daily Bail,
The announcement last week by the Federal Open Market Committee that the central bank would initiate additional, open-ended purchases of residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS) was more than a little sad. Let us count the ways. (more…)
Will “Fix” Remain In at SEC After Schapiro?
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 19th, 2012 4:31 AM |
Reports circulating that Mary Schapiro will step down from her post at the SEC pending an Obama re-election are increasing. Unless Ms. Schapiro is relinquishing her throne in preemptive fashion I do not know why this story is even getting legs. It is certainly not uncommon for significant turnover within a President’s cabinet after the completion of a first term.
I sincerely hope that she is not in ill health but that concern is raised in a story in the New York Post, SEC You Later, Pal: Schapiro May Be Heading for The Exit,
Chatter surrounding Schapiro’s status at the regulatory agency has reached a crescendo in the past few days as an undisclosed medical procedure has resulted in her taking a leave of absence — set to end tomorrow.
An SEC official told The Post that Schapiro has been on medical leave since last Thursday and has been working from home as she recovers. (more…)
Romney Video Nails “THE” Urban Education Question
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 18th, 2012 10:52 AM |
America has a problem dealing with the truth. You do not think so? Then why is it that NOBODY — and I mean NOBODY — in our mainstream media deals substantively with the following:
1. urban graduation rates
2. family structures in general and the rate of single parent births specifically
3. the fallout from both 1 and 2
If anybody seemingly comes close to these third rails, then the likes of Chris Matthews and others seem to rally to the defense and pull out the race card. Well, I will not even dignify Matthews, a fellow Holy Cross alum, or his like. I truly care about each and every citizen in our nation. I believe our nation can and will progress IF and ONLY IF we embrace the cold hard truth. (more…)
Making Sense of Mortgage Rates and Regulations
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 18th, 2012 6:26 AM |
The Federal Reserve has already purchased billions in mortgage-backed securities via prior iterations of quantitative easing. The “QE-infinity” announced just last week is targeted at purchasing hundreds of billions more in MBS.
There is certainly a lot going on within the world of mortgages. Not all of it is necessarily good. I remain steadfast in my defense of fair and transparent markets. That said, it should be no surprise that more regulations do not necessarily mean better regulation.
While the Fed’s QE operates from the proverbial 60,000 feet, let’s get a first hand look at what is really going on within the world of residential mortgages. To do just that I welcome highlighting the writing of a regular reader. The $avvy Borrower is the work of a pro’s pro at Independence Mortgage Company in Newport Beach, CA. (more…)
Making Sense of The Skyrocketing Cost of Gasoline
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 17th, 2012 7:33 AM |
I guess I could write this morning about the NYSE being fined by the SEC for facilitating front running. I could also offer more commentary on global banking institutions that now seem to realize a little thing called “reputation” actually matters. Perhaps I could offer insight on how the Fed’s recently announced “QE-infinity” is directed as a further bailout of the banks and the red-headed stepchildren commonly called Fannie and Freddie.
But let’s put those topics off for another time. Today, let’s address why your wallet is significantly lighter every time you go fill your vehicle’s tank. (more…)
Who Pays The Taxes in America?
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 14th, 2012 12:43 PM |
When politicians out there want to talk about “fairness in the tax code”, you may care to forward them the bar graph highlighted below.
With credit to the folks at Business Insider,
Here are the income taxes paid by the respective income percentiles. Note how little the bottom half pay (blue). Note how much more as a percentage of the whole the top 5% are paying. (more…)
Federal Reserve Issues a Blank Check
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 14th, 2012 7:37 AM |
Well, I gather we will not be discussing the need for a 4th round of quantitative easing down the road.
Given that the Federal Reserve’s announcement yesterday put neither a dollar amount nor an end date on its pronouncement to purchase $40 billion in MBS (mortgage-backed securities) per month as needed, the great and wondrous Fed wizard Ben Bernanke effectively pre-signed a series of blank checks.
Thoughts and questions crossing my mind this morning include: (more…)
What’s It All Mean? Disgust Not Distrust
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 13th, 2012 8:56 AM |
America, September 2012
What’s it all mean?
That age old question is often used in rhetorical fashion during times of real stress and uncertainty. Is there any question that our nation is facing just such a period right now? Why so much stress and uncertainty?
Well, there are the obvious answers revolving around our economic problems. America today faces a massive fiscal deficit. As large as that deficit is, I firmly believe that our nation faces a much larger deficit within a much larger realm.
What type of deficit?
Acts of War
Posted by Larry Doyle on September 12th, 2012 9:05 AM |
We live in a very dangerous and risk-filled world. We received fresh evidence of that with developments throughout the Middle East and northern Africa over the last 24 hours.
Strained relations with our supposed closest ally in the region are more than enough to occupy our attention. The fact that our embassy in Cairo, Egypt and our consulate in Benghazi, Libya were attacked and our ambassador to Libya was murdered is a sobering dose of reality as to how the United States is viewed by many in this part of the world.
While cooler and calmer heads hopefully will prevail during this period of stress, let’s make no mistake, the attack upon our embassies and the murder of our ambassador, Chris Stevens, are acts of war against our nation. Do you think that all eyes around the world are focused on how we respond? No doubt. (more…)
