Bear Stearns plunges amid trade risk worries – Bear Stearns (BSC) was a pathfinder in the securitization of mortgages, but its over-reliance on mortgage-backed securities led to big losses in a couple of its hedge funds. Now external hedge funds, clients of its prime brokerage, are fleeing in droves for fear the bank lacks sufficient cash or liquidity. Oh how our mighty investment banks have fallen. Funny how the top in these stocks coincided with record numbers of MBAs coming out of our business schools to join the likes of …

 
Macro

Economic Indicators site to be shut down by U.S. Department of Commerce: Say goodbye to a very useful online resource due to “budgetary constraints” – lame excuse. The cost of administering a good website has diminished drastically. Enlightened government bureaucrats will still collect the data, but they don’t want to share it with private citizens.

William Ackman’s statement before Congress – The State of the Bond Insurance Industry: Interesting reading courtesy of fund manager who presciently shorted the real estate industry before the sub-prime meltdown became the crisis du jour.

Detroit home …