(update) CNNMoney appears to agree with me. When did I sound like MSM (main stream media)?
Obviously, that’s how the US goverment thinks. When bailing out the AIG, they were saying AIG is a systematic important institution, and they just could not let it fail. And here is the bailout (handout details).
From Charlie Rose, March 17. A conversation about AIG with Hank Greenberg former chairman and CEO of AIG, Carol Loomis Senior editor-at-large of “Fortune”, Gretchen Morgenson of “The New York Times” and Meredith Whitney.
March 16: Bear Stearns, $29 billon
Sept. 6: Fannie/Freddie, $200 billion
Lehman Brothers: sorry baby no bail
AIG: $85 billion
Who is the next???
Essentially Fed/Treasury are transfering the downside risks from individual companies to the fed/treasury/greenbacks. Note the money pledged to support Fannie/Freddie/AIG could exceed the original number if the problem worsens.
I can only say: gold, baby, gold!
At least that’s what Fed chairman Bernenke and Treasury secretary Paulson think, and the congress and president agree with them. But how about the shareholders and we the tax payers? The AIG shareholders are almost wiped out (slightly better than Fannie and Freddie), and the price tag is $85 billion for now.
So summary, the price tag of recent big financial firms fallout.