There has been some misplaced optimism that financial stocks bottomed earlier this month based on the notion that much of the bad news about write-offs had come out. Mid-month, the Fed increased…
"The current financial crisis is the most serious since the second world war, and perhaps since the Great Depression."–The London Observer, March 23, 2008 Many investors find it hard to believe that…
The short interest in most large stocks traded on the NYSE increased as measured on March 14. The figures compare to February 29. Car stocks were hit especially hard. Shares short in…
Just a few months ago, sovereign funds could not get enough stock and debt in financial firms like Citigroup (NYSE: C) and Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER). When the time came to bail-out…
This is just not a good day for financial stocks. Washington Mutual Inc. (NYSE: WM) is feeling some additional pain, and it isn’t because of having ties to any government bailout package. …
Douglas A. McIntyre Reddy Ice (NYSE: FRZ) Offices raided by Feds. Drops to $12 from 52-week high of $32.21. Washington Mutual (NYSE:WM) One of the largest mortgage brokers. Falls to $9.91 from 52-week high $44.66.…
Washington Mutual (NYSE: WM) went and got itself a tin cup. Federal regulators want it to raise more money so that it can lend more money. The mortgage bank is making the…
A number of the large financial stocks took news of a write-down at UBS (NYSE: UBS), debt problems at Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER), and downgrades of Thornburg (NYSE: TMA) hard. Hitting 52-week…
This morning we have another negative note out of Goldman Sachs calling for investors to be long volatility in financial stocks where the options prices are reasonable in companies that have exposure…
Goldman Sachs has made some key downgrades in the financial sector today. The firm has cut both Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) and Freddie mac (NYSE: FRE) from an already "neutral" rating, with…
Short interest in companies traded on the NYSE increased for a number of financial firms based on positions as of February 15. The data compares to numbers on January 31 Shares sold…
Short interest in financial stocks generally fell in NYSE figures for January 31. Numbers compare to January 15. Shares sold short in Countrywide (NYSE: CFC) fell 52.7 million to 114.2 million. Shares…
The head of insurance regulation in NY State is busy as a bee trying to bail out Ambac (ABK) and MBIA (MBI). According to the FT "Eric Dinallo, the New York state…
As if some miracle had saved the financial system and averted a recession, shares in bank and brokerage companies moved irrationally higher last week. A case in point, Wells Fargo (WFC) moved…
Short interest on January 15 showed bets against financial shares listed on the NYSE climbed when compared to December 31 numbers. Shares short in Countrywide Financial (CFC) rose 32.5 million to 166.9…
