Reggie Middleton Boom Bust Blog

So, thus far we have had a massive real asset bubble fueled by easy credit, low interest rates and low inflation. We have had that bubble burst, inflicting severe damage in the commercial, investment, mortgage, and shadow bankin system as well as the real asset markets. Despite this, there is still a large overhang of inventory in real assets (dead weight), low demand, and cap rates are still near historic lows.

Well, I believe a spike in inflation, hence interest rates, will force cap rates upward and do what he investment public has failed to do thus far - and that is create a realistic pricing environment for both real assets and the credit derivatives that financed them. This will absolutely wreck margninal banks and the not so marginal banks who aren't doing that well - even in the zero interest rate environment promoted by the fed. So if the banks are sick now (see The Anatomy of a Sick Bank!) imagine how they will fare with the disease of inflation creeping up their backs. Since they power the real asset market, and the real asset market is still in the throes of bubble pricing, what happens next??? Think the S&L crisis! See the following excerpts from Reggie Middleton on the Assset Securitization Crisis for my take on how we will make the S&L Crisis look like an episode on Sesame Street. For those that remember or research, it was the rise in interest rates that pushed the S&L's over the bring - althought they probably had it coming anyway.

1. Intro: The great housing bull run - creation of asset bubble, Declining lending standards, lax underwriting activities increased the bubble - A comparison with the same during the S&L crisis
2. Securitization - dissimilarity between the S&L and the Subprime Mortgage crises, The bursting of housing bubble - declining home prices and rising foreclosure
3. Counterparty risk analyses - counter-party failure will open up another Pandora's box (must read for anyone who is not a CDS specialist)
4. The consumer finance sector risk is woefully unrecognized, and the US Federal reserve to the rescue
5. Municipal bond market and the securitization crisis - part I
6. Municipal bond market and the securitization crisis - part 2 (should be read by whoever is not a muni expert - this newsbyte may be worth reading as well)
7. Reggie Middleton says don't believe Paulson: S&L crisis 2.0, bank failure redux
8. More on the banking backdrop, we've never had so many loans!
9. As I see it, these 32 banks and thrifts are in deep doo-doo!
10. A little more on HELOCs, 2nd lien loans and rose colored glasses
11. Capital, Leverage and Loss in the Banking System