The economy is deleveraging - from hedge funds, to investment banks, to the average schmoe in the liquor store.
Since '01, Americans geared up to the eyeballs on credit card, home loans, CDO's or just plain inflated stocks, and when the other shoe drops, this economy is in for one hell of a shit storm.
Pick any barometer of economic health - the dollar, inflation, debt vs equity, confidence, commodities, trade deficit, Government spending - its all headed off a cliff.
The Government intervened and saved the Markets from a major crash TWICE now. To my knowledge, thats unprecedented.
The first back in March 06 - the huge down move..... PPT bought with force to restore confidence.
Then again with the Bear buyout, socializing of junk paper to the Fed (that now Hedge funds think they're getting such a "sweetheart deal" on), slashed rates and rebate checks.
Just wait until US Investment Banks clear all that shit onto the plates of eager Hedge funds and "savvy" international investors.
Since the beginning of the housing disaster, the whole role of the Fed has been to shill for Wallstreet - to restore confidence in US Markets so WALLSTREET CAN UNLOAD THEIR SHIT DEBT TO THE NAIVE.
Oh sure, the economy is okay now. But thats only because the Fed continues to prop it up!!
When the Investment Banks are done, rates get jacked as inflation will then "be a problem".
All those proud new CDO holders will crater into oblivion as will the now-teetering US economy.
Wallstreet is a shell game. They own the Federal Reserve System. Thats not a figurative statement. Thats literal. Most Wallstreet firms or their parents own the Federal Reserve System.
They engineer the booms and busts through liquidity creation and contraction.
This time they got greedy. But when you own the Central Bank, you just bail your ass out.
Then you prepare your next big meal.