Gary North was noting this report today. Its just gonna get ugly
Is the U.S. Banking System Safe?
by Jim Quin
....Last week Amex reported a 40% decline in earnings as their wealthy super-prime customers are not paying their bills. So, even the well-off are struggling. This week, CB Richard Ellis, the largest commercial real estate broker in the country reported an 88% decline in earnings. So, commercial real estate is imploding. Bennigans’s and Mervyn’s filed for bankruptcy this week. The consumer is being forced to cut back on eating out and shopping. The marginal players will fall by the wayside. Big-box retailers, restaurants, and mall developers are about to find out that their massive expansion was built upon false assumptions, driven by debt.
The U.S. banking system is essentially insolvent. The Treasury, Federal Reserve, FASB, and Congress are colluding to keep the American public in the dark for as long as possible. They are trying to buy time and prop up these banks so they can convince enough fools to give them more capital. They will continue to write off debt for many quarters to come. We are in danger of duplicating the mistakes of Japan in the 1990’s by allowing them to pretend to be sound. We could have a zombie banking system for a decade...
whole story here
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
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