Samo dan po tistem, ko je državni zbor sprejel predlog prvopodpisanega poslanca Zares Mateja Lahovnika (kandidata za gospodarskega ministra) in s spremembo zakona o javnih financah omogočil tudi državni odkup slabih bančnih terjatev, je ameriški finančni minister Henry Paulson sporočil, da še neporabljenega denarja iz razvpitega 700-milijardnega reševalnega svežnja ne bodo več namenjali predvsem za odkupe ničvrednih hipotekarnih papirjev. Namesto tega bo država bankam (in drugim finančnim ustanovam) raje pomagala z dokapitalizacijo oziroma vstopom v lastništvo.
As credit markets froze in mid-September, the Administration asked Congress for broad tools and flexibility to rescue the financial system. We asked for $700 billion to purchase troubled assets from financial institutions. At the time, we believed that would be the most effective means of getting credit flowing again.
During the two weeks that Congress considered the legislation, market conditions worsened considerably. It was clear to me by the time the bill was signed on October 3rd that we needed to act quickly and forcefully, and that purchasing troubled assets – our initial focus – would take time to implement and would not be sufficient given the severity of the problem. In consultation with the Federal Reserve, I determined that the most timely, effective step to improve credit market conditions was to strengthen bank balance sheets quickly through direct purchases of equity in banks.
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We announced a plan on October 14th to purchase up to $250 billion in preferred stock in federally regulated banks and thrifts. By October 26th we had $115 billion out the door to eight large institutions. In Washington that is a land-speed record from announcing a program to getting funds out the door. We now have approved dozens of additional applications, and investments are being made in approved institutions.
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First, we must continue to reinforce the stability of the financial system, so that banks and other institutions critical to the provision of credit are able to support economic recovery and growth. Although the financial system has stabilized, both banks and non-banks may well need more capital given their troubled asset holdings, projections for continued high rates of foreclosures and stagnant U.S. and world economic conditions.
Pretiranega navdušenja ameriške borze po Paulsonovem govoru niso pokazale, indeks Dow Jones je po več kot 4-odstotnem padcu končal v bližini psihološke meje 8000 točk.
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