Opening Bell: 07.24.12

Libor Probe Expands To Bank Traders (WSJ)
One of the sprawling probe’s biggest targets: a group of traders whose efforts allegedly were coordinated by Thomas Hayes, who worked for UBS from 2006 to 2009 and then moved to Citigroup, according to a person with knowledge of the investigation. Mr. Hayes was fired by Citigroup in 2010, according to people familiar with the matter. He couldn’t be reached for comment. Mr. Hayes allegedly worked with the other traders to push submissions up or down for a benchmark interest rate called yen Libor, according to court filings by Canada’s competition regulator, which identified him only as “Trader A.” The agency said it was told by UBS that Trader A told another trader at Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC “who his collusive contacts were and how he had and was going to manipulate yen Libor.”

Trading Surges Boosted Whale Positions Before Audits (Bloomberg)
Trading surges that temporarily boosted the value of credit derivatives held by JPMorgan may provide clues about whether traders at the bank masked losses that have spiraled to $5.8 billion. Spikes in late January and again at the end of February, which more than doubled the volume of trades in an index tied to the creditworthiness of companies, lowered the cost of the index, raising the value of the bank’s holdings. The surges came just before end-of-the-month bank audits to verify prices.

Ex-Anglo Irish Bank Chief Charged With Fraud (AP)
Sean FitzPatrick was arrested Tuesday at Dublin Airport as he returned from holiday. Two other senior former Anglo executives were arrested in Dublin and charged with 16 fraud-related counts Monday. The 64-year-old Mr. Fitzpatrick presided over Ireland’s runaway property boom, which was swiftly followed by the banking collapse at the heart of the country’s 2010 international bailout. Anglo’s losses on bad loans to property speculators are nearing €30 billion ($36 billion), or more than €6,500 for every person in Ireland.

Fed Official Wants Tougher Volcker Rule (WSJ)
Fed Governor Sarah Bloom Raskin said that the market-making and hedging exemptions should be extremely narrow “because of the potentially severe dangers of, and costs associated with, proprietary trading by institutions that have access to the federal safety net.” She raised the possibility that the financial system would be better off if banks ceased market making and hedging as well, saying it is possible that the combined regulatory, compliance and other costs could “outweigh the benefits we as a society supposedly receive.”

LI teen crashes car into neighbor’s house, cops say don’t worry about it (NYP)
A 15-year-old Long Island teen lost control of his dad’s car while taking it for a joy ride on Saturday — driving it across two lawns and then into a house — and cops refused to arrest him or even give him a ticket. The resident of the Massapequa home returned from dinner at 6 pm to find a Nissan Altima — driven by Robert Carracher — had wrecked the fence attached to the side of his house along with an air conditioner and sprinkler system. He also learned that Nassau cops were unwilling to charge the teen in the accident. “I’m outraged. A car hits your home and nobody gets arrested?” said Vincent Grande, a criminal attorney. He estimated the damage at more than $5,000. “When I used my phone to take pictures, the kid turned away and his dad gave me the finger.” Police explained that Carracher wasn’t charged because it was accidental and the youth was too young to have a license.

Moody’s Ratings Cut Fuels German Resentment (Reuters)
The prospect of Europe’s biggest economy losing its cherished AAA credit status has unsettled Germans, already angry about footing the bill for bailouts, and triggered calls for an even tougher stance on Greece and other euro zone laggards. While politicians and economists were at pains to argue that Moody’s downward revision to Germany’s credit rating outlook would have little immediate impact on borrowing costs, ordinary Germans said they were worried. “If things pan out the way Moody’s have predicted then we will have problems here with unemployment, if we lose confidence that things will get better, it’ll mean big problems for the economy,” said Memet Dogan, a 45-year-old transport worker near Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate.

Citi’s New Chairman Takes Hands-On Approach (WSJ)
The new chairman’s attention to the operational side contrasts with Mr. Parsons, who focused more on the job’s diplomatic aspects. Mr. Parsons stepped down in April after three years as chairman and more than 16 years on Citigroup’s board. The 65-year-old Mr. O’Neill, who a decade ago turned around Bank of Hawaii Corp. and briefly ran Barclays PLC, is a “nitty-gritty operations guy” who “understands what he doesn’t understand,” say people close to the company.

Worker charged with arsons in Maine sub fire (AP)
A civilian employee set a fire that caused $400 million in damage to a Navy submarine because he was suffering from anxiety and wanted to get out of work early, Navy investigators said in a complaint filed Monday. Casey James Fury, 24, of Portsmouth, N.H., faces up to life in prison if convicted on two counts of arson for allegedly setting fire to the USS Miami nuclear-powered attack submarine while it was in dry dock on May 23, and setting a second fire outside the sub on June 16. Fury, who was working on the sub as a painter and sandblaster, initially denied starting the fires, but eventually acknowledged his involvement, the affidavit reads.

Comments (43)

  1. Posted by Did I pass? | July 24, 2012 at 9:55 AM

    Hey CFA Institute – send me my results so I can start drinking.

  2. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 9:56 AM

    If the kid couldn't have been legally driving, then clearly he couldn't have driven a car into a house. Case dismissed.

    – UBS Legal Quant

  3. Posted by guy | July 24, 2012 at 9:56 AM

    CFAI what the fuck!?

  4. Posted by awaiting_L2 | July 24, 2012 at 9:57 AM

    to everybody who is on DB at this hour b/c they can't be working when covered in cold sweat – good luck!

  5. Posted by Peter North | July 24, 2012 at 10:00 AM

    Casey Fury: world's greatest porn star name?

  6. Posted by kidstoday | July 24, 2012 at 10:02 AM

    I don't understand- you should be drinking regardless. The only question is if it is out of shame or relief.

  7. Posted by pazzo83 | July 24, 2012 at 10:02 AM

    Send/Receive, Send/Receive, Send/Receive, Send/Receive, Send/Receive, Send/Receive, Send/Receive, Send/Receive, Send/Receive, Send/Receive, Send/Receive, Send/Receive, etc

    - CFA L1 candidate

  8. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 10:05 AM

    Eh, odds are their life is still gonna suck.

    -HBS

  9. Posted by guestosaurus | July 24, 2012 at 10:11 AM

    the UBS catch 22 – the only way to get out of work early is to burn down the office, but doing that will create massive value and will result in more responsibility and longer hours.

  10. Posted by guestosaurus | July 24, 2012 at 10:14 AM

    drinking is a no regrets move. shame on you for not having figured that out -> straight to JO&C

  11. Posted by guest | July 24, 2012 at 10:16 AM

    fuck you

  12. Posted by Nick Lachey | July 24, 2012 at 10:21 AM

    Mr. Carracher, the state bar forbids me from promising you a big cash settlement. But just between you and me, I promise you a big cash settlement.

    Lionel Hutz Esq
    I Can't Believe It's A Law Firm™
    Springfield Shopping Mall

  13. Posted by the great turnip | July 24, 2012 at 10:24 AM

    Memet – very German name.

  14. Posted by The Truth | July 24, 2012 at 10:27 AM

    Congrats Carracher. Just two more times and you'll equal Billy Joel.

  15. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 10:28 AM

    Bonobro, go back and annoy ATL. You're not funny.

  16. Posted by guest | July 24, 2012 at 10:29 AM

    Fist of Fury – Furiously Masturbating

  17. Posted by breastuseseses | July 24, 2012 at 10:32 AM

    Dunno about you, but i tend to whack it joyfully, rather than furiously. Actually tends to help dissipate my furiousness, ness.

  18. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 10:36 AM

    Watch Casey as he buries his torpedo into lonely Navy housewives burning with desire.

  19. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 10:36 AM

    Apparently 40% of you get fired at some point or other, what I wouldn't pay to be in that room when it goes down.

  20. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 10:39 AM

    I would be going nuts too if I was that guy…not only is my property destroyed and the cops won't charge the kid/parents, but the Dad has the balls to give ME the finger?? What a prick!

  21. Posted by wideclops | July 24, 2012 at 10:40 AM

    you probably will at some point – we don't pause when the cleaners come in.

  22. Posted by guest | July 24, 2012 at 10:44 AM

    i believe the count of LI kids going "joel-ing" is now at 3 this summer.

  23. Posted by Frau Merkel | July 24, 2012 at 10:52 AM

    With regard to the problem of the ratings agencies my patience is now at an end!

  24. Posted by Val Taubner III | July 24, 2012 at 10:52 AM

    Bob, I'd like to invite you and your Dad to join the NYAC; you sound like our kind of folks.

  25. Posted by Wedding Crashers Guy | July 24, 2012 at 10:52 AM

    I loved Wedding Crashers!

  26. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 10:54 AM

    I think what makes the "teenager not charged for illegal driving because it was not legal for him to be driving" story particularly rich is that he crashed into a criminal attorney's house. Wonder how many calls that guy will be making to people he knows at the courthouse before someone calls the cops in to have a chat?

  27. Posted by db7 | July 24, 2012 at 10:56 AM

    Really? Vinny Grande, Criminal Atty is "outraged!"

  28. Posted by Nick Lachey | July 24, 2012 at 10:57 AM

    This is coming from a guy who reads "Leo the Late Bloomer" cover-to-cover each night while yelling out to God: "If you love me, why did you make me this way!"

  29. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 10:57 AM

    Long Island trash never cease to amaze me.

  30. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 11:07 AM

    UBS : Citi :: Pittsburgh : Cleveland

  31. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 11:11 AM

    I believe they are still busy working through the Nigerian tests to bother with yours.

  32. Posted by Deleveraging | July 24, 2012 at 11:17 AM

    Massapequa!

    What I want to know, was the officer handling the call down the block sleeping on a neighbor's couch?

  33. Posted by LongWrong | July 24, 2012 at 11:21 AM

    Probably driving a slam home from a wedding..

  34. Posted by gusty | July 24, 2012 at 11:31 AM

    "She raised the possibility that the financial system would be better off if banks ceased market making and hedging"

    wow. this is a fed governor.

  35. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 11:41 AM

    Today is National Tequila Day, tomorrow is National Hangover Day. I will be attending both events.

  36. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 11:47 AM

    Yes it was Mike Tedesco.

  37. Posted by Once&FutureGuest | July 24, 2012 at 12:16 PM

    Gastarbeiteren mach Frei…

  38. Posted by Once&FutureGuest | July 24, 2012 at 12:17 PM

    Massapequa. Given.

  39. Posted by Johnny C | July 24, 2012 at 12:53 PM

    Wreck the fence by noon, fix LIBOR tonight. Results don't matter. He didn't know better. Fingers all around.

    If he beats your house to s** you must acquit.

  40. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 1:13 PM

    The link is broken

  41. Posted by Guest | July 24, 2012 at 1:31 PM

    Is Matt celebrating not taking the CFA by not posting anything today?

  42. Posted by Senior Management | July 24, 2012 at 4:25 PM

    Let's see….if you're too young to get a license you can't be charged for any crime committed under that license. Okay boys…hire under 18 year old's to be our bankers, analysts and traders….where back in business and screw the regulators!!! Wahoo!!!!

  43. Posted by Massapequa PD | July 24, 2012 at 5:05 PM

    "Police explained that Carracher wasn’t charged because it was accidental and the youth was too young to have a license."

    Also, of course, because his mom is a total MILF and the officers are trying to hit that.