tinman

Mark-to-Market Marches Towards Extinction

M2M should be required EXCEPT when a liquid market (no matter how irrational) is not available. The judgment of whether a market is liquid then becomes the issue -- for banks, I would leave that to bank regulators to determine. For non-regulated industries, leave to the asset holder and its auditors.

And in any case, all non-M2M assets should be clearly flagged on the balance sheet for all to assess.

On Citibank, TARP, Press Releases and Gratitude

I would refi my 5-yr ARM in a heartbeat if I could get a 30yr fixed. I have no problem with paying the interest rate the banks are charging, I have a problem getting a loan at ANY interest rate. Unless you're a zero-risk client, the window is closed.

Finding Relative Value in Financial Services

BAC?
STD?

Economic Outlook: Bracing for a Rocky Road?

43's priorities clearly did not include smoothing the regulatory path for Big Oil's potential competitors. Did anyone expect anything different? The country got exactly what it deserved. It's the price the rest of the planet has paid that is truly pitiful.