Countrywide

UPDATE: *POLICE, PROTESTERS CLASH IN ISLAMABAD; AT LEAST 230 HURT: AFP

Against the background we initialliy explained here, and the escalation we discussed here, Imran Khan's "Pakistan Spring" has grown dramatically. The former cricketing-legend and erstwhile opposition leader's call for people to take to the streets to demand new 'unrigged' elections has 1000s of protesters breaching the Prime Minister's residence in Islamabad. Along with anti-government cleric Tahirul Qadri, Khan urged peaceful protest but, as AP reports, an estimated 20,000 police in riot gear are blocking the procession using tear gas and rubber bullets. Local hospitals report at least 100 injuries.

Nearly a decade after Countrywide was sold to Bank of America in what has become the worst M&A deal of all time, bar none, having resulted in tens of billions of legal charges for Bank of America shareholders, the most recent of which was revealed also minutes ago when Bank of America was said to reach a record $17 billion settlement with the government over the sale of mortgage-backed securities, moments ago Bloomberg announced that none other than Agent Orange himself, Angelo Mozilo, is about to be sued. Again, only this time the lawsuit may actually not be tossed or result in yet another DOJ trademark wristslap.

• Yellen Dashboard Warning Light Glows as Millions Work Part Time (BBG)
• More US drones boosting global GDP: Unidentified war planes, explosions heard in Libyan capital (Reuters)
• London Home Asking Prices Plunge Most in More Than Six Years (BBG)
• Carney - Rate Hike before Pay Recovers (Times)
• No Fed fireworks, but plenty of clues, expected at Jackson Hole (Reuters)
• Kurdish, Iraqi forces in control of Mosul dam (Reuters)
• China Pushes Cleanup of Banks (WSJ)
• Russia Widens Ruble Trading Band in Move Away From Managed Rate (BBG)
• Dollar General Makes $9.7 Billion Family Dollar Counterbid (BBG)
• Autopsy finds unarmed teen killed by police was shot six times (NYT)
• Bull Market Waning as Barclays Sees 1% Gain for S&P 500 (BBG)
• Credit Suisse Caught Up in Espírito Santo Mess (WSJ)

• Moscow fights back after sanctions; battle rages near Ukraine crash site (Reuters)
• On Hold: Merkel Gives Putin a Blunt Message (WSJ)
• Argentina’s Default Clock Runs Out as Debt Talks Collapse (BBG)
• Argentina braces for market reaction to second default in 12 years (Reuters)
• Banco Espirito Santo Plunges After Posting 3.6 Billion-Euro Loss (BBG)
• Adidas Plunges After Cutting Forecast on Russia, Golf (BBG)
• GOP Says Lerner Emails Show Bias Against Conservatives (WSJ)
• Londoners Cashing in Flee to Suburbs as Home Rally Wanes (BBG)
• BNP Paribas Reports Record $5.79 Billion Quarterly Loss (WSJ)
• Swiss Banks Send U.S. Client Data Before Cascade of Settlements (BBG)
• Putin Sows Doubt Among Stock Bears Burned by 29% Rebound (BBG)

While Goldman's "derivative-based financial advice" to Greece before the EU enabling them to join the party seemingly went unpunished, Nomura has not been so lucky. Having created complex derivatives transactions to 'help' Sicily's regional government, which have now produced major losses for the duped managers, The FT reports Nomura has had property and cash worth $150 million seized related to allegations that the investment bank defrauded the regional government of Sicily with the sale of derivatives in 2002.

• EU finalises Russian sanctions as BP warns of impact on business (FT)
• Geopolitical Risk Rises for Global Investors (BBG)
• Jaded Argentines brace for looming debt default (Reuters)
• In Argentina, Mix of Money and Politics Stirs Intrigue Around Kirchner (WSJ)
• Mom ‘Trusting God’ for Ebola-Infected U.S. Doctor’s Life (BBG)
• Thanks NSA: Tech Companies Reel as NSA's Spying Tarnishes Reputations (BBG)
• Goldman unit eyes foray into China amid metals financing scandal (Reuters)
• Cash out time: London’s Gherkin Tower Offered for Sale by Its Lenders (BBG)
• Apenomics strikes again: McDonald’s Japan axes profit guidance amid food safety scandal (FT)
• Do you see what happens Larry when you are the only USDJPY bid? Nomura Profit Falls More Than Estimated on Broking Slump (BBG)

Shortly after our report yesterday that the Liberian man suspected of carrying the Ebola virus has died while quarantined in Nigeria, the local health ministry confirmed that he was indeed the first confirmed Ebola death in the Nigerian city of Lagos, which with a population of roughly 20 million, is the largest city in Africa and the fourth largest in the world. The victim, who worked for the Liberian government, collapsed at Lagos international airport after arriving on a flight from Monrovia via the Togolese capital Lome on Tuesday, according to the Nigerian government. And now the "red alert" scramble begins in Nigeria, with a population fo 170 million, to isolate who else the deceased may have come in contact with. And while borders have not yet been closed, health specialists have been deployed to all sea ports and international airports to identify any passengers displaying symptoms associated with Ebola.

Let's take a look at the amount of settlements/fines from various banks and financial institutions around the world since the crisis.

• Bubble Paranoia Setting in as S&P 500 Surge Stirs Angst (BBG)
• But how will math PhDs determine "fair value" - Wall Street Techs Take Secrets to Next Job at Their Peril (BBG)
• U.S., EU Escalate Russia Sanctions as Putin Holds Firm (Bloomberg)
• Australia Becomes First Developed Nation to Repeal Carbon Tax (WSJ)
• Gaza humanitarian truce goes into force, hours after tunnel clash (Reuters)
• Barclays, Deutsche Bank Said to Face U.S. Senate Hearing (BBG)
• ECB Asset Buying Far Off and May Not Come, Hansson Says (BBG)
• Time Warner win would make Murdoch U.S. media king (Reuters)
• Costly Vertex Drug Is Denied, and Medicaid Patients Sue (WSJ)
• China Rallying for All Wrong Reasons to Top-Rated Analyst (BBG)
• GM recalls some cars with problematic switches; judges others safe (Reuters)

After the crisis, many expected that the blameworthy would be punished or at the least be required to return their ill-gotten gains—but they weren’t, and they didn’t. Many thought that those who were injured would be made whole, but most weren’t. And many hoped that there would be a restoration of the financial safety rules to ensure that industry leaders could no longer gamble the equity of their firms to the point of ruin. This didn’t happen, but it’s not too late. It is useful, then, to identify the persistent myths about the causes of the financial crisis and the resulting Dodd-Frank reform legislation and related implementation...."Plenty of people saw it coming, and said so. The problem wasn’t seeing, it was listening."

Most Buy Side managers have no idea about the disparate business models of the four largest US banks by assets. 

• BOE to Sign Agreement With China on Yuan Clearing Next Week (BBG)
• U.S. law firm plans to bring suit against Boeing, Malaysia Airlines (Reuters)
• Citigroup Fraud Stings Mexico Star as Medina-Mora Chased (BBG)
• Fraternity Chief Feared for Son as Hazings Spurred JPMorgan Snub (BBG)
• UBS suspends six more forex traders (FT)
• Goodbye CSCO Q1 EPS: China to strengthen Internet security after U.S. spying report (Reuters)
• Good luck: Spain Banks With $55 Billion of Property Seek Deals (BBG)
• Citic Pacific Said to Plan About $4 Billion Public Offering (BBG)
• Yahoo Japan to buy eAccess from SoftBank for $3.2 billion (Reuters)
• "Whatever it takes" to talk down the Euro: Euro, peripheral bond yields fall on ECB easing debate (Reuters)

To really appreciate “too big to fail,” you must first and foremost understand that it is a political concept that springs from a sense of liberal privilege and entitlement. 

When we reported early yesterday that Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan threateningly warned that since Twitter had ignored court orders to remove content related to a government corruption scandal., that he would "destroy Twitter" and that "we'll dig up Twitter - all of them - from the roots," he raged, "they'll see the power of the Republic of Turkey" it may not have been quite clear what he meant. A few hours later it was revealed, when virtually all Twitter access was blocked in Turkey ten days ahead of the general election in a move that has already enraged the nation and resulted in a powerful public outcry.

So you want to be a mortgage banker? then listen now to what i say   Just get liability insurance... and get ready to pay and pay...