Hi,
We discussed hedge funds several posts back and I wanted to give you the definition for the bundled mortgage funds that caused so much damage to our economy and helped put us into a depression not unlike 1929.
CDOs are Collateralized Debt Obligations or bundled mortgaged bonds,(HEDGE FUNDS). These funds, sold privately, allowed folks to buy houses well above their means or ability to repay the loans. Goldman Sachs has been the sacrificial goat for the Security and Exchange Commission's fraud case but many firms practiced the art of EASY MONEY and BIG PROFITS. Since CDOs were not traded on the regulated market, Wall Street has absorbed blame that belongs with those involved and the government.
The problem with these loans was not just RISK on both sides but how the clever (or cunning)financiers handled them. Now remember participants in obtaining a mortgage believed that the Government (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) was backing the effort and they went to mortgage lenders who all looked on the up and up to the home buyer. Ruse or right??????? The best?? of these were bundled into CDOs.
Folks with BADLY impaired or no credit history were given mortgages with interest-only payments for several years on homes well above their means to buy with the promise of refinancing at a later date and these mortgages were bundled into SUBPRIME MORTGAGE SECURITIES.
Financiers ASSUMED (there's that word again-ASSUME = ASS(OUT of)U(and)ME) the SUBPRIME MORTGAGES would be refinanced in a few years at a higher monthly payment and all would be well. If the owners (actually renters without rights under these conditions) could not meet the terms (essentially a new mortgage deal with high payments) this would cause default. And WOW!!!!!did it! All over the country and into a deep depression.
Prior to the market's fall, the not satisfied financiers bought their own mortgage companies, relaxed standards, created unlimited synthetic CDOs with no hard assets behind them. They then sold TRANCHES (slices) instead of shares as you would in other funds. The riskier the TRANCHE the higher profit yield to the investor. Again this was all done outside the Wall Street Market Place.
Still not satisfied other types of securities were created that were SYNTHETIC CDOs (Sounds like LAS VEGAS again) based on betting against the housing market.
We're now looking at deals that are considered fraudulent and for which the financiers and their companies may be potentially liable. Since Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were totally involved-WOULD THIS BE CONSIDERED A GOVERNMENT SPONSORED CON GAME?????????????!!!!!!!
These CDOs though not publicly traded, were traded privately to many of the same clients, who bought stocks and bonds through firms that represented Wall St. There was no so-called transparency that is required by the SEC of Wall St. stocks. Although buyers were given a humongous list of included documents, few took the time necessary to investigate, trusting their broker to steer them right. The broker probably hadn't had time to read them either. An unknowing stock holder might buy what looked like a potentially secured investment of tranches that held some totally risky combinations. Although, one would expect someone buying large amounts of CDOs to at least have done some investigation!!??
The estimated sales reached 500 billion but not being public trade put it outside all the market rules and regulations. I'm not really sure why the SEC has to investigate something outside their parameters but I suppose it helps to calm those investors taken in by their blind greed.
Firms like Merrill Lynch (the most CDOs), UBS, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup among others were large players in this gambling both in the US and overseas. The SEC has also been investigating how mortgages were sliced and by whom.
What also seems to be the case is that the firms were possibly allowing some investors to bet both ways-by buying CDO tranches then buying SYNTHETIC CDOs so betting against the tranches and allowing them to win either way the market went. A mitigation of risk called HEDGING. Sound familiar? Seems as if the only real losers in these schemes were the ignorant.
This house of cards came tumbling down as more and more home owners originally priced out of the housing market but let in by RISKY MORTGAGES AND CDOs finally defaulted and lost the homes that they never should have been sold in the first place.
The three little pigs listened as the Wolf said "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down." and he did. The houses were made of the straw and sticks of bad loans and were blown down. No wolves can blow a house down when its made out of the bricks of good finance
That sounds harsh but making credit easy is a BOOBY TRAP (yes, they think you are an ignorant boob) for a lot of folks. Credit cards carry the same risk. There is only one way to purchase what you want or feel you deserve--BE SURE YOU CAN PAY FOR IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT. That's fundamental all over the world.
There are two old sayings: LET THE BUYER BEWARE! and IF IT SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE--IT IS! and of course add to that "THE THREE LITTLE PIGS". All teach the rules of good personal business.
There really isn't anyone out there who will take as good care of you and your money as you will. No matter how sincere or dedicated that someone may be. If that person is successful, he or she has numerous clients to look after so you become ONLY ONE of many.
So learn what you are doing!!!!!!! Don't look to others to take care of your needs or wants. Depend on yourself and if you make a mistake, at least it's your mistake and not another person's carelessness. Then if you hire someone for the various transactions, you will know what's happening not just trust in dumb luck.
There are so many good books out there by people who have studied financial matters. So it's boring--we're talking about your money here! Read a variety so that you don't cave in to someone's bias. It makes no sense to work hard at whatever you do and not to know how to make your earnings from that labor be protected from harm. Trust yourself!!! You'll clearly be better at this than a well-meaning stranger if you learn the rules for taking care of your finances.
Cheers, Connie
We discussed hedge funds several posts back and I wanted to give you the definition for the bundled mortgage funds that caused so much damage to our economy and helped put us into a depression not unlike 1929.
CDOs are Collateralized Debt Obligations or bundled mortgaged bonds,(HEDGE FUNDS). These funds, sold privately, allowed folks to buy houses well above their means or ability to repay the loans. Goldman Sachs has been the sacrificial goat for the Security and Exchange Commission's fraud case but many firms practiced the art of EASY MONEY and BIG PROFITS. Since CDOs were not traded on the regulated market, Wall Street has absorbed blame that belongs with those involved and the government.
The problem with these loans was not just RISK on both sides but how the clever (or cunning)financiers handled them. Now remember participants in obtaining a mortgage believed that the Government (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) was backing the effort and they went to mortgage lenders who all looked on the up and up to the home buyer. Ruse or right??????? The best?? of these were bundled into CDOs.
Folks with BADLY impaired or no credit history were given mortgages with interest-only payments for several years on homes well above their means to buy with the promise of refinancing at a later date and these mortgages were bundled into SUBPRIME MORTGAGE SECURITIES.
Financiers ASSUMED (there's that word again-ASSUME = ASS(OUT of)U(and)ME) the SUBPRIME MORTGAGES would be refinanced in a few years at a higher monthly payment and all would be well. If the owners (actually renters without rights under these conditions) could not meet the terms (essentially a new mortgage deal with high payments) this would cause default. And WOW!!!!!did it! All over the country and into a deep depression.
Prior to the market's fall, the not satisfied financiers bought their own mortgage companies, relaxed standards, created unlimited synthetic CDOs with no hard assets behind them. They then sold TRANCHES (slices) instead of shares as you would in other funds. The riskier the TRANCHE the higher profit yield to the investor. Again this was all done outside the Wall Street Market Place.
Still not satisfied other types of securities were created that were SYNTHETIC CDOs (Sounds like LAS VEGAS again) based on betting against the housing market.
We're now looking at deals that are considered fraudulent and for which the financiers and their companies may be potentially liable. Since Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were totally involved-WOULD THIS BE CONSIDERED A GOVERNMENT SPONSORED CON GAME?????????????!!!!!!!
These CDOs though not publicly traded, were traded privately to many of the same clients, who bought stocks and bonds through firms that represented Wall St. There was no so-called transparency that is required by the SEC of Wall St. stocks. Although buyers were given a humongous list of included documents, few took the time necessary to investigate, trusting their broker to steer them right. The broker probably hadn't had time to read them either. An unknowing stock holder might buy what looked like a potentially secured investment of tranches that held some totally risky combinations. Although, one would expect someone buying large amounts of CDOs to at least have done some investigation!!??
The estimated sales reached 500 billion but not being public trade put it outside all the market rules and regulations. I'm not really sure why the SEC has to investigate something outside their parameters but I suppose it helps to calm those investors taken in by their blind greed.
Firms like Merrill Lynch (the most CDOs), UBS, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup among others were large players in this gambling both in the US and overseas. The SEC has also been investigating how mortgages were sliced and by whom.
What also seems to be the case is that the firms were possibly allowing some investors to bet both ways-by buying CDO tranches then buying SYNTHETIC CDOs so betting against the tranches and allowing them to win either way the market went. A mitigation of risk called HEDGING. Sound familiar? Seems as if the only real losers in these schemes were the ignorant.
This house of cards came tumbling down as more and more home owners originally priced out of the housing market but let in by RISKY MORTGAGES AND CDOs finally defaulted and lost the homes that they never should have been sold in the first place.
The three little pigs listened as the Wolf said "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down." and he did. The houses were made of the straw and sticks of bad loans and were blown down. No wolves can blow a house down when its made out of the bricks of good finance
That sounds harsh but making credit easy is a BOOBY TRAP (yes, they think you are an ignorant boob) for a lot of folks. Credit cards carry the same risk. There is only one way to purchase what you want or feel you deserve--BE SURE YOU CAN PAY FOR IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT. That's fundamental all over the world.
There are two old sayings: LET THE BUYER BEWARE! and IF IT SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE--IT IS! and of course add to that "THE THREE LITTLE PIGS". All teach the rules of good personal business.
There really isn't anyone out there who will take as good care of you and your money as you will. No matter how sincere or dedicated that someone may be. If that person is successful, he or she has numerous clients to look after so you become ONLY ONE of many.
So learn what you are doing!!!!!!! Don't look to others to take care of your needs or wants. Depend on yourself and if you make a mistake, at least it's your mistake and not another person's carelessness. Then if you hire someone for the various transactions, you will know what's happening not just trust in dumb luck.
There are so many good books out there by people who have studied financial matters. So it's boring--we're talking about your money here! Read a variety so that you don't cave in to someone's bias. It makes no sense to work hard at whatever you do and not to know how to make your earnings from that labor be protected from harm. Trust yourself!!! You'll clearly be better at this than a well-meaning stranger if you learn the rules for taking care of your finances.
Cheers, Connie
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