Archive - Jan 24, 2010

asiablues's picture

The Volcker Rule = Job Creation.. NOT!





The timing and haste of the newly proposed Volcker Rule by Obama has drawn criticism that this is simply a transparent attempt at populism in light of the Dems Massachusetts defeat. Moreover, it certainly does not address the more dire issue of the Middle America – jobs.

 

Marla Singer's picture

Use of National Security Book Cooking Exception Not Looking So Paranoid After All





We are often accused of being paranoid here at Zero Hedge, generally by our many detractors. Occupational hazard, we suppose. So when we pen missives wondering about the use of "National Security" exceptions to SEC disclosure and filing requirements for public companies, we tend to get a lot of smug "you're crazy" correspondence. Then a little time passes, and someone like Reuters writes an article.

 

smartknowledgeu's picture

The Death of Capitalism





Bankers are destroying Capitalism. Unfortunately, most Westerners won’t realize this until five years from now, when the middle class has been forcibly relegated to the ranks of the poor. And this isn’t just a situation that will afflict America but it will likely afflict Japan and many countries in the EU such as the UK, Spain, and Greece just to name a few.

 

Leo Kolivakis's picture

Pensions Pouring Money Into EM Debt





Whenever I read that pension fund consultants are "being inundated with requests," my antennas go up, as does the hair behind my neck!

 

Tyler Durden's picture

Chasing Red Liquidity Herrings





In response to the earlier post on Treasury's supply/demand imbalance, a keen reader shares the following insight:"if there are ~16t usd assets in banking per the article and ~1% are in treasuries today that means 9% conversion of assets to treasuries remains....the banks are woefully undercapitalized. 9% of 16t is 1.44t so the banks can't meet the 10% requirement although some will get close....my concern is that the 1t usd sitting in the fed may already be in treasuries and that it is not truly cash - frn...." That would be very ungood.

 

thetechnicaltake's picture

Investor Sentiment: Poorly Positioned





Make no mistake about it, investors remain poorly positioned to weather a sell off.

 

Tyler Durden's picture

Guest Post: Bernanke Nomination By The Numbers And What Saves Him





A milestone in Bernanke’s nomination was reached this morning …. the Sunday political talk shows. John McCain came out this morning against Bernanke. So here’s what we know. As of this morning (noon CT, January 24) … Bernanke needs 60 votes to end a filibuster of his nomination (known as cloture). After cloture, he then needs 51 to be reappointed. So, the bogey is 60 for cloture.

 

Tyler Durden's picture

Rentec's RIEF Collapses In 2009, Even Firm Admits It May Be Medallion Fodder





Rentech's RIEF investors can't be too happy. After underperforming the S&P by about 30%, and seeing AUM in the once fabled quant fund evaporate, they now have to contend with disclosure that there is "no assurance that trading of the Medallion Funds may will not have a negative effect on the trading of RIEF." Luckily for a now-retired Jim Simons (speaking of, what non-extradition countries has the billionaire code-breaker taken to vacationing in these days?), those same RIEF investors sure do seem to have a lot of patience.

 

Tyler Durden's picture

Reader Submission: Letter To Senator Schumer "A Vote For Ben B. Is A Vote Against You"





I have never voted Against the Democrats in my life, BUT I WILL THIS TIME just like the people of Mass. did last week.

Its your time to stick up for the people of New York State and this country we call home. I will be watching to see what you do for us.

The people of America are to the breaking point and if we snap how long do you think Citi, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo will last if everybody stops paying ther Morgages and Credit Cards.

 

Tyler Durden's picture

The $700 Billion U.S. Funding Hole; Desperately Seeking A Very Indiscriminate Treasury Buyer





Economics 101: when supply is greater than demand, prices fall; when supply is $700 billion greater than demand, prices plunge. An in-depth look at the supply-demand mismatch of the 2010 US Treasury market demonstrates that the truth is much worse than you may think, and why Bernanke's first act upon reconfirmation will likely be the announcement of the second part of Quantitative Easing.

 
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