Moral hazard versus bail out

That's the decision which is being balanced. The ideal move would be to let the market enforce the pedagogy of punishing the banks that made the foolishness of lending money to subprime borrowers. But reality prevails over ideals and the move had, and will continue to be - until crash do us part -, to cautiously bail the banks, and indirectly the hedge funds that should receive the "moral hazard".

The problem now is that the financial markets and the "real economy" are, completely and immediately, interconnected and the real economy suffers with its upturns and downturns. I don't ignore the lessons this crisis permits but, for the time being, the priority, for Bernanke and the bunch (and Bill the Butcher also...) is to sustain the market. I think Jim Cramer's alert was fundamental to ignite an answer from the FED.

The Asian factor

Greenspan, Bernanke, Paulson and all top-spins will not achieve a real estate turnaround for 2007. The bubble was so big, similar to the internet stocks, that the burst will be definitely also similar.

Look to this: Sales of previously owned homes probably will tumble 4.6 percent to 6.18 million and the U.S. median home price likely will fall 1.3 percent to $219,100.

No matter the influx of money to the US, the GDP will be lower for the year: The U.S. economy probably will expand at a 2 percent pace in 2007, compared with 3.3 percent last year.

Even tough, the world economy is in good shape. It is the first time, probably since the last 20 or 30 years, that a near-crisis in the US will not mean a world crisis. It is the Asian factor.

Recession, definitely

Master Greenspan has warned recently, about the incoming recession.

King Buffett has mentioned several times, some dirty pieces of the American economy: twin deficits, too much dependence on consumer spending, and a public budget unmanageable.

Right now, Bernanke says something that we think is not a doubt, it is real: Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday uncertainties surrounding the U.S. economic outlook have increased somewhat recently.

We prefer to listen to Mr. Greenspan and to Mr. Buffett.

FED: rethinking the rates?

Mortgages, real estate, twin deficits and "war on terror" budget, are damaging US economy.

Master Greenspan has warned, about a possible recession. Bernanke have dismissed the Greenspan thinking without clear evidence.

Now, the market is waiting for rate cuts: Options traders are starting to say the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates three times this year as the housing slump threatens the economy's growth.

We always believe in Market. After this, Bernanke will be in a turmoil: to tackle some inflation threat, or to put some gas on the economy.

The day after

The market is a little bit dull, even with the positive signs from Bernanke: Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told members of Congress Wednesday that U.S. financial markets appear to be "working well" and are functioning normally.

But this: New home sales saw their steepest plunge in 13 years in January.

And this: The gross domestic product, the broadest measure of the nation's economic activity, grew at an annual pace of 2.2 percent in the last three months of the year, according to the Commerce Department, down from the 3.5 percent rate the government estimated a month ago and still a bit better than the 2 percent growth rate seen in the third quarter.

Make us, a little bit worry!

US: soft or hard landing?

The FED is praying for a soft landing. Bernanke is threatening with a new rate increase. Unemployment is at a good level: 4.5%.

Nevertheless, the currencies traders believe in a hard landing, because of this:

• They appear to be trading on the belief that, while US interest rates will fall in an effort to counter a slowdown, European rates will continue to rise – and, by implication, that Europe’s economic upswing has some way to go.

Pay attention, during next weeks.