To Our Clients, Colleagues and Friends, 

Why is the regulator of national banks called the Comptroller of the Currency?  First of all, they have almost nothing to do with currency, and second, what exactly is a comptroller as opposed to a controller?  Curious minds want to know.

Remember sub-prime lender Novastar?  They have re-invented themselves as an [...]

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TARP Isn’t Working For Small Business; Two Simple Solutions To Get Small Business Lending Going Again

A Joint Article By Mark Sunshine and Robert Blum

Unfortunately, the Obama Administration isn’t proposing much to help restart lending to small and medium sized enterprises (”SMEs”). While SME’s make up the backbone of the U.S. economy and provide most [...]

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Source: SweeneyToddMovie.com

What choice do banks have but to lend?

The administration unveiled its Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan [HASP], to the praise of TARP recipients. Other investors remain more guarded, and the prices of major financial stocks continue their steady descent to an April 10th “touchdown”, or wipeout.  If, or as, these firms are wiped out, [...]

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Housing Market May Be Stabilizing – Joseph Rosta – It could take a lot more government prodding and pushing, but there are signs that the housing market is nearly done collapsing and may now start treading recessionary waters. – US Banker

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1.  Barron’s on Mark-to-Market Accounting: Way Off Base  – The problem isn’t that banks own [...]

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