Display:
The point about the bailout of course is that even when all of the money has been spent, it's still not going to solve the problem - and there will be much more pain to come.

There's the possibility of a tipping point very soon, and I think we're getting very close to pitchforks and torches in the US.

If the reality-based economists started putting out press releases, that would speed things along.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Mon Sep 29th, 2008 at 04:48:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Note that

  1. Goldman Sachs has admitted the Investment Bank business model is not viable;
  2. it has accordingly announced plans to spend $50bn buying retail banks (small regional ones)
  3. it is likely the bailout will buy GS's bad assets at at least a $50bn premium

On 3) it is clear that the solvent banks will be the ones to benefit from the bailout - even if they don't overprice their assets significantly (and, being solvent, they don't need to and in a "reverse auction" they won't). The funny thing about the bailout is that the insolvent banks would have to overprice their assets in the auction in hopes of being recapitalised and that reduces the likelihood of their assets actually being bought in the "reverse auction".

<sigh>

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Sep 29th, 2008 at 05:14:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Migeru:
Goldman Sachs has admitted the Investment Bank business model is not viable;

PN point, they've declared Investment banking as not viable for them, that is:

  • Not viable with their expectations of X% yearly profit growth (where X is a large number for their industry.)

  • Not viable now they've lost a huge heap of money from risky investments.
by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Mon Sep 29th, 2008 at 05:30:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]
PN taken.

I'm distinguishing "Investment Banking" of the Wall Street variety from the kind of "Commercial Banking" that Jerome does.

Properly, Jerome does Investment Banking and Wall Street did Speculation Banking but that's the nature of doublespeak.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Sep 29th, 2008 at 05:33:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]
This isn't a bailout - it's a round of civil war on Wall St.
by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Mon Sep 29th, 2008 at 05:48:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Display:
Login
. Make a new account
. Reset password
Occasional Series