Nobody likes to lose money. Unfortunately, between 1929-1933 many innocent investors lost loads of cash due to a series of bank failures. Because of this, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was established. In 1934, the insurance limits began at $2,500, rose to $40,000 in 1974, and have since …
You Down With QE3?
With the Fed meeting coming up this week and the domestic economy showing signs of slowing, the inevitable QE3 talk is once again front and center. The Fed's latest QE activity, Operation Twist, will be completed at the end of June. During Operation Twist the Fed absorbed all the issuance of …
It’s The Economy, Stupid!
With the Presidential election in the U.S. beginning to heat up, it is natural to forget about elections elsewhere in the world. But before our elections start to cause volatility in the Fall, a round of elections in Europe in May could have a very meaningful impact on the marketplace. Given the …
Greece Is A Zit, Portugal Is A Boil, Spain Is A Tumor
"It's Not A Tumor" - Kindergarten Cop The market appears to be blissfully ignoring the massive issues facing Spain due to a better than expected recent auction. But with the impact of the ECB's three -year liquidity injection starting to run it's course, Spain will be a big focus for the market …
iBanker: The Markets Look A Little Muddy
This past Saturday morning, I awoke circa 4:30am, and sluggishly made my way to my car enroute to meet some fellow gym rats at a local parking lot. The 16 of us piled into 4 cars and embarked on a trip we all had been talking about for months on end. What lay ahead was a 5.2 mile all-terrain 36 …
Is Free Checking Here To Stay?
Anytime I have a conversation with somebody about banking, it typically turns out the same; I end up chuckling at the similar responses. "I remember when my bank gave away free toasters. I remember when I didn't have to pay for checks. I remember when I could receive a loan on just a handshake." As …
Why Do Banks Sell Mortgages?
One common question I've gotten recently has been around mortgages. "Why did my bank sell my mortgage? I want to find a bank that holds onto my loan." While this may be a big deal to someone who is shopping around to refinance, it's rather insignificant so a high-level overview is all that's …
