Tag: Fed

Profitability

“We’ve already blown past the worst-case scenario on unemployment” | repeat stress tests

Colin Henderson

As banks rush to repay TARP money, driven by the desire to remove government control rather than any reflection of improved financial standing, here is a sobering statement from Elizabeth Warren.  Just as GM didn’t ‘get it’ in terms of the world will look like on the other side of this recession, many banks appear to have similar blinders.  Instead of arguing that they are not in bad shape and that they are secure, why not make changes now that display the recognition that the future is not going to be anything like the past.  I say again, and blame … Continue reading “We’ve already blown past the worst-case scenario on unemployment” | repeat stress tests

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Should the Fed be the 14th payment network, and how would that solve the problems?

Colin Henderson

President Kohn of the Kansas City Fed speaks at the ECB/De Nederlandsche Bank Conference conference in Frankfurt.  He argues for greater control by the Fed over the payments system.  While his outline of problems makes sense, they also describe the failure of the current system, and the lack of foresight from the existing controls, and its unclear that the proposed solution from them will have any impact other than exacerbating those problems.  The problems he describes are real and more importantly consumer facing.  They are also imho problems that large banks could address given their scale and the opportunity for … Continue reading Should the Fed be the 14th payment network, and how would that solve the problems?

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SIGTARP report and report to Congress on stress tests | Apr 19th, 2009

Colin Henderson

The only word for this document is breathtaking.  It is breathtaking because it touches a large amount of the US economy, and the largest businesses in the economy.  It deals with: Banks Auto sector executive compensation Executive replacement ‘luxury’ purchases, (eg corporate jets) SIGTARP administration And the detail contained in the 247 pages is work that is substantially net new since January this year.  I say this in defence of Geithner, and his quiet approach at first.  He has been rather busy.  But to the report to Congress today. The report sigtarp-april2009_quarterly_report_to_congress:   SIGTARP site. Summary of Geithners testimony at FT. … Continue reading SIGTARP report and report to Congress on stress tests | Apr 19th, 2009