Opening Bell: 11.30.09
Bernanke Starts Fed Debate Early (WSJ)
Ben Bernanke would prefer the Federal Reserve not be stripped of its power. Senator Bernie Sanders would prefer the Beard be stripped of his job: "If he's the smartest guy in the world, why didn't he do anything to prevent us from sinking into this disaster that Wall Street caused and which he was a part of?" Mr. Sanders said on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." Mr. Sanders was referring to Foreign Policy Magazine's list of the "Top 100 Global Thinkers," which ranked Mr. Bernanke as No. 1. While Mr. Bernanke is expected to win confirmation, Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, said Sunday that he would oppose him.
UBS Threatens To Move HQ From Switzerland (Reuters)
If Switzerland dares to lay too many regulations on the tax evaders' asses, they are so out of there, CEO Oswald Gruebel apparently threatened over the weekend.
U.A.E. Central Bank Says It `Stands Behind' Lenders, Offers Loan Facility (Bloomberg)
"This is a timely pre-emptive move from the central bank," Ahmet Akarli, an economist at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in London, said in a note. The central bank is "ensuring that local markets are operational" and banks "have access to ample liquidity."
Bank of America Trims Salary for 2 Top Executives (WSJ)
Bank of America said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it has cut the salaries of Chief Financial Officer Joe Price, along with it mortgage unit president Barbara Desoer, from $800,000 per year to $500,000.
Ari Kiev, a Psychiatrist, Dies at 75 (NYT)
The former SAC Capital shrink in-residence-- he left SAC in January to start Kiev Consulting-- passed away on November 18 due to complications related to cancer.
U.A.E. Blocks Sunday Times Over Coverage of Dubai Debt Crisis (Bloomberg)
The Sunday Times is awaiting further instructions from the authorities, the office said in a statement. Meanwhile, Vikram would like to know if he can arrange to block the sale of any New York-based papers talking smack about Citi.
Forget Fleece? Wool Makes A Comeback (WSJ)
Sacrilege.
Thirty financial groups on systemic risk list (FT)
Thirty global financial institutions make up a list that regulators are earmarking for "cross-border supervision exercises." They are:
* Bank of America Merrill Lynch
* Citigroup
* Goldman Sachs
* JPMorgan Chase
* Morgan Stanley
* Royal Bank of Canada
* Barclays
* HSBC
* Royal Bank of Scotland
* Standard Chartered
* Credit Suisse
* UBS
* BNP Paribas
* Société Générale
* BBVA
* Santander
* Mitsubishi UFJ
* Mizuho
* Nomura
* Sumitomo Mitsui
* Banca Intesa
* UniCredit
* Deutsche Bank
* ING
* Aegon
* Allianz
* Aviva
* Axa
* Swiss Re
* Zurich