aklucsarits

What's most interesting to me about this monring's reaction in the markets is that the USD is actually up signifcantly against other major currencies. I wouldn't have expected that one...

Anyone have a good explaination?

Andrew

martha

Hurricane Ike's latest track appears to be straight across the Gulf of Mexico and into somewhere between High Island (which is certainly not high) and Houston/Galveston on Saturday. This brings into play a tremendous amount of offshore crude and nat gas production, some of which is still not back online from Hurricane Gustav. Additionally, a lot of Lousiana is still without power and many refineries, gas processing plants and petrochemical plants are still not fully operational and now will probably be taken off-line totally again in preparation of Ike making landfall.

If this mess doesn't make energy stocks pop, I have idea idea what it will take.

wantone

Me thinks in part that the FX community sees the US government's move in backing Fanny/Freddy Macs. Remember a lot of foreign countries, especially China with 10% holdings in bonds with Freddy, were really worried that their bonds would come to $0. Strengthening the US$ also strengthens these countries interests!

cthree

I'm going to take a big gamble today on AAPL Sept call options ahead of the Let's Rock event tomorrow. I think the analysts and their clients have screwed the pooch on this one and if I'm right (see my post int he AAPL thread) I could cash in big-time (or lose a lot of money).

I think I'm right from my research and I think the analysts are completely wrong about the impact of the event tomorrow.

MsPerky

I know someone who works for Freddie and doesn't share the optimistic outlook, at least over the longer term. He thinks the Republican administration would like to dismantle Fannie and Freddie and send that money private. So Nov's election takes on even more significance if you buy into that theory. He is keeping me posted about developments there.

cthree

I bought some AAPL Sep 160 and 165 calls wagering about $5500 on the dog and pony show tomorrow.

Fingers crossed...

[gTr]

For once my predictions about the crash have come true. All the major investment banks are taking a hammering and I think its due to a lack of confidence. No one exactly knows how deep in Shitt they are and the Fannie and Freddie situation did not help.
I think Cthree will be a lot richer soon.

aklucsarits

^^^ Other than LEH, which is down on rumors of a failed investment bid by the Koreans, which investment banks are "taking a hammering" today?

GS = +2.0%
MER = +3.1%
MS = +3.5%
JPM = +2.5%

Andrew

Gadunk

I have a question about the whole freddie/fannie thing. So since they are in conservatorship with the government, the conservatorship says that freddie/fannie in time can get out of it and not be "owned" by the goverment. So do there stocks still trade like normal stocks? as in i can still buy and sell them like i would aapl or something while they are still in the consevatorship?

cthree

Yes they do but the gov't is pumping in $200B in capital and taking over the board which basically means shareholder equity just got massively diluted.