Banks and the Financial Market

All we've heard about for weeks is the bank bailouts. I do not believe any banks were going broke but that is my opinion. They are making money hand over fist off their customers, building branches everywhere. But according to the news I read that the apparent end of the recession and stabilizing financial markets have not cured the banking industry. The say past due loans have reached the highest levels in 26 years according to the FDIC. They say banks earned $2.8 billion in the 3d quarter, but nearly 40 percent of that was from a one-time accounting trick. Loan balances plummeted and the fund that insures their deposits was $8.2 billion in the red. According to the FDIC, the number of banks on their problem list went up to 552 from 416 on June 30. This is the highest level in 16 years. Fifty banks failed during the quarter, the largest number since the second quarter of l990. I am not sure how much of anything to believe anymore.

Banks Plan Fund to Revive Market

Some of our largest banks have announced plans to form a $75 billion dollar fund to support the ailing market for sub-prime debt. The unusual move, which includes Bank of America and JP Morgan, aims to boost confidence in and prevent a further sell-off of such investments. Such a sell-off would force banks, brokerages and hedge funds to write down the value of their assets. This could, in turn, further tighten credit markets and hurt the economy.