Christmas Time on Wall Street
November 27, 2013
Christmas Time on Wall Street
by MIKE WHITNEY
Remember how Quantitative Easing was going to get the banks lending again?
Well, it hasnt worked that way. In fact, after 4 years of zero rates and $3 trillion in monetary pump-priming, banks are lending less to small businesses and consumers than before the financial crisis. (International Business Times)
But how can that be, you ask, after all, didnt the banks just report record profits in the Third Quarter?
Yep, they sure did. $40 billion-worth. But the bulk of that dough was raked off their gaming operations, you know, all the dodgy activities that Dodd-Frank regulations were going to stop, but never did. As far as lending to households and small businesses, thats been a non-starter from the get-go. Check this out from the IBT:
Small business loans
decreased in 2012 from 2011.
there was $588 billion in small business loans outstanding in June 2012, 3.1 percent less than at the end of 2011. (Banks Have Received $2.3 Trillion In Quantitative Easing But Are Lending Less To Small Businesses And Consumers Than Before The Financial Crisis, International Business Times )
Okay, so lets do the math: The Fed beefs up its balance sheet by a hefty $3 trillion, and the banks issue a whopping $588 billion in new loans.
Sounds like a bargain to me! Youre doing a heckuva job, Bernanke!
http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/11/27/christmas-time-on-wall-street/