savvy investor

Macro Trends Spell Doom for Banks and Their Profits

I apologize for being so critical, but this is typical of all the negativity that is driving investor sentiment that is NOT commensurate with the overall financial facts.
You are too negative on the world and US economies. You do not mention record exports from the US, the worldwide record GDP growth especially in emerging economies, the endurance of the US consumer, the relatively benign US inflation (yes food will be up around 5% this year and energy is up but only related to about 7% of GDP and a smaller percentage of income than anywhere else in the world), historically low or moderate unemployment, low home interest rates. All the talk about our national debt is wrong too--the US government needs to be looked at like a business. If it can borrow at a lesser interest rate than it return on assets, then debt is good (and 10 year bomnds are below 4%!).
Corporate profits are BEATING the estimates -- outside of financials, airlines and autos, and housing, the US economy is simply GREAT. Winners are Info Technology companies like IBM and others, McDonalds had record revenues and profits as did Walmart, industrials like MDR/ABB/Corning/Cummin... mineral and commodity producers like Freeport McMoran/Rio Tinto/BHP/Vale/Exxon/e... energy services companies like Schlumberger/Pride/Tra... ag equipment like Deere and ag chemicals like Mosaic/Monsanto/Potash... generic chemicals like Dow/Monsanto/etc, commercial construction (offsetting the residential construction woes) with strong business done by CAT and Terex, Boeing is doing noicely and a huge US employer.
Get a balanced perspective and don't dwell on the negatives like the "ain't it awful" US press.
You must be short the market to only report negatives. Unfortunately that is typical of the vast majority of the US press and media that can't wait to deliver negative news, or make it up if it isn't there to report. Most of the press/media folks are 'newbies' as part of cost reductions, their industries are in a cost reduction and "change period" where print advertising and media advertising are migrating to on-line services. Their perspective is coloured by their own situation. Energy in the US is still cheaper than almost any other stable economy in the world, the US is the most prolific and productive economy in the world (our GDP is GROWING), our food is cheaper as a percentage of income than most developed economies, the 'savings rate' does NOT count 401K/IRA/home equity/etc so is only a distorted picture of REAL net worth (and that is GROWING per capita in the US).
We generally live in a free, safe, productive, healthy, comparatively wealthy, enjoyable society that is the envy of the world. We're are all very lucky to be living in the US in 2008!