The Market Ticker

The media and establishment are trying to "paper over" the Tea Parties with partisan nonsense. Don't fall for it. Meanwhile, earnings are coming in, the book-cooking continues, and the next disaster is on the horizon - insurance companies.

Wells reports "record expected profits". Ok, how? We'll explain, along with much more. Hint: You won't like it.

GM headed to bankruptcy, AIG called a "ponzi scheme" by IRA and much more.

PPIP: Gamed within minutes. Geithner grows a brain? Naw. The math, my friends, is never wrong, and we're about to get slapped around by it. Again.

He really is that dumb (Bernanke); why QE is a fool's errand. AIG's mess grows, Congress steps in it (again) and Obama's Budget concept look more and more like a clown car brigade. Geithner's "bad asset" plan is unveiled and Obama laughs at Americans who are opposed to bailouts in his 60 Minutes interview. A full plate; come join us.

Madoff pleads and Barney Frank is making noise about prosecuting wrongdoers responsible for the mess. Is Hell freezing over? This COULD be a turning point. Plus Obama's folly (Fibbs, er, Gibbs), Treasury Crowding, the recent rally and more.

Bernanke & AIG, The FDIC .vs. local banks, CDS abuse, Mark to Market accounting, The Market's sickening plunge last week and much more.

Confidence: The primary driver of what's going on in the markets right now. Plus BAC's "mismarked" balance sheet, Treasury's own views on massive issuance, Citibank's dilution (along with the government lying AGAIN) and more.

Nationalization of banks? What's with FIFTEEN YEARS of knowledge of these frauds and more than 10 years of no trades? Housing plan announced; its a joke. What's with protecting "homeowners" who lied on their mortgage applications - a federal offense. The market continues to vote on the administration's plans, and that vote is NO CONFIDENCE. Time to go Mr. Geithner. Oh, and AIG is expected to report a SIXTY BILLION loss and cry for more bailout money. Aieee....

The Porkulus bill passed and will stimulate... nothing. There's a new mortgage plan allegedly coming this week, GM (especially) and Chrysler are under the gun, with the UAW once again playing games, and finally public pension systems are rapidly falling into critically underfunded status. What does the future hold?

What's up with this "stimulus" bill, and how about TARP II/TALF and whatever other alphabet soup nonsense that Treasury and The Fed are cooking up?