Will the Fed bailouts fix solvency problems in the banking system?
*Reuters, by James Saft, September 25, 2008:
Hold-to-Maturity is the new Mark-to-Myth
"Paulson and Bernanke's 'Hold-to-Maturity' plan is really just the new
'Mark-to-Myth', and even its heroic proportions are not likely to paper
over solvency problems in the banking system.
The Federal Reserve Chairman told lawmakers the plan to spend $700
billion to buy up bad assets would allow banks to avoid unloading loans
at fire sale prices.
'Auctions and other mechanisms could be devised that will give the
market good information on what the hold-to-maturity price is for a
large class of mortgage-related assets,' Ben Bernanke said, trying to
persuade a skeptical Congress that the plan he has been pushing along
with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson will give value for taxpayers'
money.
Banks are forced to mark their assets to market, a process that has
become increasingly painful and likely to lead to bank failures as a
shortage of investors and the swiftly declining performance of the
underlying collateral have driven prices lower.
As many securities are so complex that they seldom trade, and given
that few want to buy them now anyway, banks sometimes must mark the
assets according to modeled prices, a process sometimes referred to as
'marking-to-myth' by doubters."
*This information is solely a highlight of the opinion of a third-party publication and is incomplete. Please subscribe to this publication for the full and timely opinion of the author and call a Monex Account Representative for any additional up-to-date information. This is not an offer to buy or sell precious metals. Investors should obtain advice based on their own individual circumstances and understand the risk before making any investment decision.
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