Opening Bell: 09.02.09
Bellagio: Indicted billionaire owes $258,480 gambling debt (Las Vegas Sun)
In fact Allen Stanford owes money all over town, including but not limited to Steve Wynn for trashing yet another hotel room, but after hearing about the Blood Brother Ceremony S Dubs decided to "let this one go." The stripper is not backing down.
EU Minister Cheer Bonus Restrictions Ahead Of G-20 (EU)
"We have to stop the restarting of the bonus culture," Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg told journalists before the ministers' meeting. "Bankers are acting like it's 1999 and actually it's 2009."
AIG CEO Benmosche Says He Wants to Halve Wall Street's IPO Fees (Bloomberg)
He also reiterated that he wants to "beat that little bitch's ass," presumably referring to Cuomo, though it could be anyone.
Stanford Back In Jail After Hospital Stay (Houston Chronicle)
His heart's fine, but according to lawyer Dick DeGuerin, Blood Brother "has an aneurysm in his leg which would be elective surgery to take care of because it is not life-threatening," though Stanford is acting like he could go at any second.
More Madoff Details On Tap (WSJ)
Apparently new shit has come to light, presumably none of it penis size related, though you never know with Mary Schapiro's team: "The latest Bernard Madoff tome could offer the most detailed look yet at how the confessed swindler eluded authorities' grasp for so long...it's a long-awaited report by the inspector general's office at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Inspector General David Kotz said it runs to 450 pages, with more than 500 exhibits. Mr. Kotz turned over the report to SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro late Monday, and it is likely to be released within a week after the SEC's five commissioners review it."
Bomb Explodes Near Athens Stock Market (FT)
So that's not good.
Clients Pull Money From HSBC Alterntive Investments (FT)
$4 billion or so-ish, making it "the single largest casualty of the redemptions crisis in the hedge fund industry," which the bank can choose to either cry about or wear as badge of honor. So far most people are going with the former, but they'll come around.
Lehman Leftovers Lift On Wave Of Speculation (NYP)
Sources say Dick Fuld is thisclose to signing on for a reunion tour. It's really gonna happen this time.