“Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Richard Fisher called for an international pact to break up banks whose collapse would threaten the financial system, a position that goes beyond other Fed officials. ‘The disagreeable but sound thing to do’ for firms regarded as ‘too big to fail’ would be to ‘dismantle them over time into [...]

“A new advisory being sent by America’s third largest bank to its account holders has stoked fears that major financial institutions could be preparing for old fashioned bank runs if the economy takes a turn for the worse.  Originally reported by John Carney over at the Business Insider website, Citigroup is sending the following information [...]

Because the Federal Reserve, the Treasury Department and the government generally has had one vision for combating the deflation which set in about a year ago and that has been to flood the system with new dollars, there has been little dissent within those organizations.  With the revival of retired Federal Reserve President Paul Volker [...]

The idea of just sending the keys to your house or condo back to the lender would have been unthinkable just a year or so ago; now underwater owners are doing just that all over the country.  This is especially true once they lose any hope for lender assistance in making their payments and realize [...]

A new initiative should be announced today which is to help small businesses grow and add employees.  No doubt this is an effort to balance criticism that the bail out money has been more directed at saving the big banks and not the small businesses who made no risky investments, nor took fat bonuses for [...]

Here is a great article which provides insight into the new rules on banking:  “At its heart, Volcker’s plan restricts banks from making speculative investments that do not benefit their customers. He has argued that such speculative activity played a key role in the financial crisis. The administration also wants to limit the ability of [...]

The government bail out money has recently been dubbed an “investment” however, this is one investment which the taxpayers did not chose to make!  The net result of these investments was to shift the loss from those who chose to take the risk (shareholders and stakeholders in failing businesses) to those who did not chose [...]

Did you know that when you swipe your debit card and sign for your purchase the merchant pays your bank double than if you enter your four-digit code? “The difference is so large that Costco will not allow you to sign for your debit purchase in its checkout lines. Wal-Mart and Home Depot steer customers [...]

According to one author, the sudden desire to re-pay TARP money is all about the money baby.  “In October, Feinberg issued compensation guidelines for the companies receiving special assistance, including Citi and Bank of America. That, and the approach of the bonus season, lit a fire under executives at the largest remaining TARP recipients. In [...]

One member of the European Union – Greece – is having large financial troubles.  “Greece was jolted on Tuesday by the downgrading of its debt rating to the lowest level in the euro zone as worries grow about its public finances, driving bank shares, bonds and the euro down in its wake.  The financial blow [...]