Volatility and Losses: No End in Sight

Andy Spero | December 1, 2008 | 0 Comment(s) |

If you haven’t read it, For the Vix, 40 Looks Like It’s the New 20 in today’s The Wall Street Journal please know that is a decent column.

We particularly like the paragraph:

“Volatility may not return to its highs, but it isn’t clear when it will get back to normal, either. Volatility breeds fear, which breeds more volatility. There is still too much uncertainty about the losses lurking on bank balance sheets and about the depth and breadth of the current recession to inspire much calm.”

Now,… Read the rest

Moral Hazard and Another Problem with Illiquid Assets

Andy Spero | September 26, 2008 | 0 Comment(s) |

in a Mark-to-Market Accounting Regime.

Here’s a couple of related issues that we can discuss in the context of today’s The Wall Street Journal article, Bailout Proposal Gets Hung Up Over Central Issue: Will It Work?

We’re deeply concerned about the moral hazard implications of any government bailout, and we doubt that we are the only observer to harbor such dark thoughts.  However, we also think that those implications could be realized immediately rather than, say, during the “next” downturn in some far distant time.  Thus… Read the rest