Foreclosures

The stock market performance particularly on October 6 and 7, 2008 is a strong indication of the lack of effective measures to address the problems that triggered the financial crisis and subsequently the economic meltdown. The tumbling of the stocks due to aggressive selling day after day is from panic and deep concern among investors across the globe.

The “Treasury” has secured the financial package for the “rescue” plan as an instant relief to the current crisis. However, in preparation to relieve the financial institutions from “bad debts” and “toxic assets”, it has failed to look beyond the “Corporate” horizon. The immediate priority is to lift the nation from the burgeoning “housing market” crisis i.e. “foreclosures” and provide relief to the “homeowners”.

The Congress must act now on bipartisan basis to implement “Moratorium” on the “foreclosures”, and vigorously re-enact the “Bankruptcy provision” to relieve homeowners across the nation. It should not be at the discretion of the financial institutions that are primarily responsible for the mortgage crisis to resolve on their own terms and conditions. As stated earlier, the “foreclosures” are the result of the multi-tiered structures in the financial and real estate industry engaging in unethical practices and reckless conduct with no oversight.

If the “rescue” package does not involve the solutions to the problems of the current economic and stock market turbulence, the entire effort by the Congress is futile. Therefore, it is necessary for government intervention to relieve all homeowners dealing with “foreclosures” and delinquency on their mortgage payments due to the sudden increase in interest rates initially offered as “teaser” rates on the subprime mortgage loans.

The urgent and direct focus on the “housing market” is the only prudent economic strategy available to revive the “housing sector”, one of the structural foundations of the economy. The consistent decline of “home values” is a major factor for the “economic stress” with a ripple effect on the entire financial and commercial sectors.

The “housing” and “energy” industry are fundamental components of the economic infrastructure. Hence, the rescue plan must address the “cause” of the current financial crisis i.e. the “foreclosures” besides facilitating financial liquidity in the commercial sector to stimulate economic growth and development. In terms of the economic stimulus package under consideration, the “energy” subsidies would highly benefit the economy and ease the burden on the “main street” anticipating high “energy” costs in winter.

The impending purchase of the mortgage-backed securities under the “rescue” plan must follow the guidelines to benefit the investor i.e. the taxpayers in both the short and long run. It is important to address effectively any concern by experts such as “The HOPE for Homeowners Act needs to pay less than 36.5 % of the face value of the subprime mortgage backed securities. If more is paid the government loses money in the long run and owners of the securities profit now” and any loopholes that might hamper the deal in the investor i.e. taxpayer’s favor must be eliminated as a safety measure.

The consensus on the legislation of the bill “HOPE” for The Homeowners Act, 2008 is promising and expected to provide relief to an estimated 400,000 families. It is important to follow through the process and ensure transformation of “HOPE” into reality for “homeowners” severely hit in the “housing” market crisis due to massive “foreclosures”.

“Congress” and the financial institutions could reverse the current stock market decline through diligence and prudent economic strategy combined with robust fiscal policy and financial measures to boost investor confidence. Meanwhile, domestic and foreign investors must restrain short selling in the wake of current crisis that is contributing to the pandemonium in the stock market.

The stock market turmoil will cease upon following all of the above measures with no further procrastination to protect the interests of all i.e. the “main street”, the “wall street” and the global market.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Bailout Failure

The democratic system has failed to rescue the nation at the hour of crisis. The party bickering and “partisan politics” has taken precedence over “main street” struggles. It is clear from the action of the legislators voting against the “emergency” plan that their concern for the return to power is paramount than the “average citizen’s” livelihood. The explanation for their refusal to cooperate does not resonate with the realities in the “main street”. The nature of global economy is slighted with distracted opinions and determined position in this crucial legislation.

Excerpt of one of the legislators reason to vote against the bailout.

Source : Democracynow.org – Thank you.

According to Democratic Congressman Rep. Dennis Kucinich – “Is this the United States Congress or the Board of Directors of Goldman Sachs?” Rep. Dennis Kucinich Rejects $700 Billion Bailout
The House is set to vote today on a $700 billion emergency bailout plan for the financial industry. The proposed legislation was forged during a marathon negotiating session over the weekend between lawmakers from both parties and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. The 110-page bill would authorize Paulson to initiate what is likely to become the biggest government bailout in US history, allowing him to spend up to $700 billion to relieve faltering banks and other firms of bad assets backed by home mortgages, which are falling into foreclosure at record rates.

AMY GOODMAN: Right, but the Democrats are in charge of this.

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH: Right. You know, I’ll tell you something that we were told in our caucus. We were told that our presidential candidate, when the negotiations started at the White House, said that he didn’t want this in this bill. Now, that’s what we were told.

AMY GOODMAN: You were told that Barack Obama did not want this in the bill?

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH: That he didn’t want the bankruptcy provisions in the bill. Now, you know, that’s what we were told. And I don’t understand why he would say that, if he did say that. And I think that there is a—the fact that we didn’t put bankruptcy provisions in, that actually we removed any hope for judges to do any loan modifications or any forbearance. There’s no moratorium on mortgage foreclosures in here. So, who’s getting—who’s really getting helped by this bill? This is a bailout, pure and simple, of Wall Street interests who have been involved in speculation.

AMY GOODMAN: Congressman Kucinich, can you explain how it is that the Democrats are in charge, yet the Democrats back down on their demand to give bankruptcy judges authority to alter the terms of mortgages for homeowners facing foreclosure, that Democrats also failed in their attempt to steer a portion of any government profits from the package to affordable housing programs?

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH: Well, I mean, those are two of the most glaring deficiencies in this bill. And I would maintain there was never any intention to—you know, well, many members of Congress had the intention of helping people who were in foreclosure. You know, this—Wall Street doesn’t want to do that. Wall Street wants to grab whatever change they can and equity that’s left in these properties. So— .”
____________________

Review: There is no disagreement in this context. However, the repercussions of failing to act is far greater than the stakes involved in the initial bailout that is being carried out cautiously and judiciously by the remaining members of the “Congress”. The legislators’ rhetoric does not serve the purpose as the U.S economy is the engine of the global markets and the ripple effect is already felt in Europe and worldwide. Today’s plummeting of the stock market is yet another sign of the “financial catastrophe” at our doorstep.

With respect to the elimination of “bankruptcy provision” as discussed in the above interview, the “Democratic Presidential Candidate”, i.e. Senator Barack Obama’s position is apparent in the “housing market” debacle. It is time for the Democratic Party to be forthcoming to the democratic base as well as others and explain the reason behind such notion to alienate the worst hit population i.e. the “homeowners” in this bailout proposal.

As for the GOP members of Congress, defying the national interest by voting against the bailout proposal, the following questions arise,

1. Where were the legislators when the economic meltdown was happening under their watch?

2. Why did they not alert their own party and the administration that is notorious for reckless
policies and “bankrupting” the economy under their reign of power?

3.Whatever happened to the passion and pessimism about the “Wall Street” performance leading
the world’s economic power on the verge of collapse?

Alas, “Rip Van Winkle” is awakened by the financial “thunderbolt” and causing havoc in the “Capitol Hill” , the heavenly abode of the legislators.

Ironically, the two extreme political factions appear to come in terms with agreement on a single platform , i..e. protests the bailout and attempts to derail the entire economic infrastructure. The spectacular performance is to earn voter confidence and retain power for further economic disasters.

It is time to focus on the dire situation and market reaction in the United States and worldwide that is beckoning to act promptly and effectively by facilitating liquidity in the financial market.

The lawmakers concerned about taxpayers must also realize that taxpayers’ investments are the major casualty in the current political fiasco.

It is the duty of every legislator to put “partisan politics” aside and act diligently by coming forward and resolving the national and world financial crisis in the best interest of the people, responsible for their power.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Glimpse of “Hope and Promise” in the Horizon!

Source: guardian.co.uk
Tech earnings diverge as U.S. economy weakens
• Reuters
• , Friday July 18 2008
By Jim Finkle

BOSTON, July 18 (Reuters) – IBM and other technology companies whose products help big corporations save money or expand data storage capacity are faring better than those relying on consumers as the U.S. economy slows.

International Business Machines Corp, the world’s biggest technology company, impressed investors by easily beating quarterly profit expectations and raising 2008 forecasts when it reported along with other big tech companies on Thursday.

In contrast, Microsoft Corp missed estimates amid concern about its online business and the economy, while Google Inc also disappointed. The Web leader told investors it was operating under “uncertain economic conditions” after a weaker-than-expected 35 percent quarterly profit increase.
Darren Bagwell, director of equity research at Thrivent Asset Management, which manages $73 billion, reckons IBM’s results point to strong performances for companies like EMC Corp, the world’s biggest maker of corporate storage gear. EMC releases its results on July 23.
“IBM’s mainframe business was on fire,” he said, pointing to a new line of computers that IBM introduced in February. They sold out at the end of the second quarter after the company’s first major upgrade to its mainframes in almost three years. They are used in “green” data centers that help businesses save money on energy and maintenance costs.
In a teleconference with analysts and reporters on Thursday, IBM said demand from companies in developed countries looking to expand data centers contributed to its better-than-expected 22 percent rise in quarterly profit.
Bagwell noted both Microsoft and Google said they plan to invest heavily to develop larger, more sophisticated data centers so they can better compete with each other.
“They are spending a lot of money to build out the infrastructure they need,” he said. “Someone is going to get the benefit of that, obviously.”
Bagwell expects such infrastructure investment will also bolster profits at VMware Inc, whose software helps companies save money by allowing them to boost the efficiency of server computers.
SIZE MATTERS
Companies the size of IBM could fare better in a weakening economy than smaller rivals, analysts said, as customers pare back the number of vendors to focus on those deemed most resilient to an economic slowdown.
Demand for hardware appears to be trickling down to smaller manufacturers such as Sun Microsystems Inc, whose shares have been battered, losing 48 percent this year.
Sun, a maker of high-end servers, reported on Tuesday preliminary results in line with expectations, but that sparked a rally in its shares by investors who had feared much worse.
Jerry Dodson, a portfolio manager with Parnassus Investments, which manages $1.5 billion, said he fears other software makers may post weak earnings after Microsoft’s disappointing results.
“It (the rough economy) seems to be hitting software more than the hardware,” Dodson said.
SAP AG and Oracle Corp, the two biggest makers of business management software, look vulnerable, he said. Germany-based SAP is scheduled to report on July 29, while its California-based rival released results for its most-recent quarter last month, issuing a cautious earnings outlook and saying it expected software sales growth to slow.
Microsoft’s online division posted an eighth consecutive quarter of decline, reporting an operating loss of $488 million. Industry analysts feel that bodes poorly for Microsoft’s rival and acquisition target, Yahoo Inc, which reports results on Tuesday.
“Their weakness in the online division is an indicator in display advertising, which has follow-through implications for someone like Yahoo,” Bagwell said. (Editing by Braden Reddall)

Analysis: It appears from the above report that overall software industry and Web based innovators are experiencing the teething pain of a slowing economy worldwide. However, other technology giants like IBM, EMC and emerging companies such as VMware Inc. could benefit from the major corporations strategy to streamline costs and modify their existing system infrastructure.

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