Despite the plethora of data that has come out recently, one thing that has occasioned very little comment is the outlook for US exports. Exports are generally not a big factor in the subset of companies involved in the ISM survey, but the plunge in export orders to 34.5 suggests that US exports, hitherto a support in an otherwise collapsing economy, could be in big trouble as well.

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) released its monthly report on Manufacturing, the ISM Manufacturing Report on Business®. It showed a reading of 36.2 down from 38.9. Where 50 is the demarcation line between growth and recession, 36.2 says the manufacturing industry in the United States is deep into recession territory.

In direct conflict with the statements in Washington by its Chief Executive Rick Wagoner, the General Motors Board of Directors is willing to consider bankruptcy as one of many options. The Wall Street Journal released a story late last night attesting to this fact. Below is a snippet of that story.
Members of General [...]

Bloomberg is reporting that Obama’s transition team is exploring a pre-packaged bankruptcy filing for the US automakers as a solution to the stand-off in Washington. Apparently, Obama has some pretty savvy people in his transition team because they seem to be much more on the case than the Bush Administration when it comes to a solution for the Big Three Automakers.

Today’s round-up is going to principally be about the three CCC’s of Countries, Citigroup and Corporates.  But I also have some tidbits on other topics as well.  So let’s jump right in.
Yesterday sucked. Markets fell everywhere from Australia to Hong Kong to France to the U.S.  The U.S. fell to a 11-year low (adjusted for [...]

The issue of GM cannot be divorced from the broader issue of health care. Companies like Honda operate out of countries that made health and retirement benefits a national responsibility. And the perennially high price of gasoline, a product of high gas taxes in virtually all other highly developed countries, has ensured a steady market for their smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. There’s no reason not to treat U.S. car companies, and car owners, the same way. So we have to address the broader issue of health care as well as the obvious demands for producing more fuel efficient cars.

A reader has recently corrected a claim I made on a recent blog entry regarding GE Capital. I would like to bring this error to your attention and make a few comments. The first statement is actually not correct. Looking at the FDIC Institution Directory yields two results:

Hank Paulson knows he has two months left until he leaves Washington. Therefore, he must feel he needs to pass out as much free cash to his friends in banking and finance before he leaves town. Or, at least so it seems.

The latest story I saw on this turn of events concerns Citigroup and its bid to take over my local bank, Chevy Chase Bank. This bank, whose headquarters is literally half a mile from my house is a profitable institution with $14 billion in assets. How can Citigroup, which has over $60 billion in writedowns, is losing money hand over fist, and received a massive cash injection from the federal government just weeks ago take over a smaller, more profitable institution? Doesn’t this create a moral hazard? I heard Peter Morici, a well-known International Business Professor at the University of Maryland, on the radio this morning asking the same questions.

The US banking system is certainly in need of recapitalization. But I must confess this looks a lot like crony capitalism. Let me do a brief recap of how we got here and add in some of the ways US Government money and the $700 billion TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) have been used to date.

The stars are aligned for the big three automakers because everyone is coming out in their favor. First, we heard that they were meeting with congressional leaders on Capitol Hill. Then, we heard that Rahm Emanuel, a house democrat and Barack Obama’s future Chief of Staff, favored a bailout. Next it was [...]

The numbers on auto sales were unbelievably bad for September — Ford down 34%. Honda down 24%, Toyota down 32%, Nissan down 37%. Amazingly, G.M. was at the head of the pack with sales down only 16 percent. (I guess those Escalade Hybrids are selling like hot cakes).
Blame this one on the credit crunch [...]