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Pastimes : Clown-Free Zone... sorry, no clowns allowed

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To: Mark Adams who wrote (107826)6/11/2001 10:20:56 AM
From: pater tenebrarum  Read Replies (3) of 436258
 
Mark, the point again is that the growth in the GSEs balance sheets has begun to divorce itself from the underlying economic growth rate, to an incredible extent. so far this year their balance sheets are growing at 20% annualized. FMNs leverage is now a cool 155:1 - it's an accident (read: tax payer bail-out) waiting to happen.

i agree that stock buybacks on credit have also contributed to the growth in corporate debt, but they are just one factor among many. it's however an example of an especially dangerous use of debt.

regarding consumers, we see that mortgage and revolving credit defaults, as well as individual bankruptcy filings are on a steep upward trajectory so far this year. many people are living from paycheck to paycheck...and month after month the rise in consumer spending outpaces the growth in incomes. the big increase in bankruptcy filings has coincided with the recent increase in lay-offs, so apparently there ARE lots of people a mere week away from bankruptcy. the following charts demonstrate the link between increasing consumer debt and the increase in bankruptcies:

law.missouri.edu
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