Bear bet that netted £141m throws fresh suspicion on collapse

It seems that Wall St. are trying to blame the straw for breaking the camel’s back. As The Independent report today:

Suspicion over the collapse of Bear Stearns is centring on a massive options trade, less than two weeks before the historic investment bank went under in March, by which a single investor made a profit of more than $270m (£141m) on a bet against the company’s share price.

In a “whodunnit” that has gripped Wall Street for months, many traders and senior executives at Bear Stearns have become convinced the firm was brought down by a conspiracy of rivals and hedge funds, who spread malicious rumours and ultimately triggered a collapse in confidence among its trading partners.

These conspiracy theorists received new evidence yesterday, with news of an extraordinary bet placed in the derivatives market on 11 March, near the start of the week when rumours of Bear’s financial problems snowballed. By 14 March, the Federal Reserve was having to extend emergency funding as Bear’s customers deserted. On 16 March it was sold at a fraction of the previous share price to JPMorgan Chase.

Wait a second, isn’t that the same day that Helicopter Ben lunched with a who’s who of Wall Street bigwigs?

The chairman’s March 11 lunch with financial-industry executives was held at the New York Fed, with Geithner also attending. Bernanke and Geithner told Congress last month that they were informed of Bear Stearns’s troubles on March 13.

I wonder whether the trade was made before or after this meeting?

Mark OByrne

Also on news-goldcore-com

Videos

Listen: The Case For Gold and How To Buy It

Gareth Soloway – This is the catapult that will send gold to new highs

Former Fed Insider Danielle DiMartino Booth Gives Us Her Interest Rate Predictions

Blog posts

SEC Action Shows Why Cryptos Are Not “As Good As Gold”

The bitcoin versus gold debate has gone on for over a decade now. In that time regulators have been scratching their heads wondering how far they can let the cryptocurrency machine run for. “This far,” seems to be the decision this week. Meanwhile gold and silver carry on, continuing to offer a simple and unassuming […]

READ MORE

Global Debt Crisis: Pretend and Extend?

Those who have chosen to invest in gold bars or to buy silver coins have often done so because they fear the mismanagement of the monetary system. This week has offered further reassurance that investors are right to want to own gold in a balanced portfolio because yet another fight about the US debt ceiling […]

READ MORE

A Showdown in Gold Is Imminent

The industry-leading In Gold We Trust Report was released this week. So convinced are the authors “that the monetary and geopolitical situation as well as the chart development of the gold price suggest that a showdown in gold is imminent” that the 2023 report is entitled “Showdown”. This is arguably one of (if not the) […]

READ MORE

Featured

The King and Queen will be Gold and Silver

READ MORE
Newsletter
Category
Archives
Popular

No posts available

Videos

Listen: The Case For Gold and How To Buy It

Gareth Soloway – This is the catapult that will send gold to new highs

Former Fed Insider Danielle DiMartino Booth Gives Us Her Interest Rate Predictions

Blog posts

SEC Action Shows Why Cryptos Are Not “As Good As Gold”

The bitcoin versus gold debate has gone on for over a decade now. In that time regulators have been scratching their heads wondering how far they can let the cryptocurrency machine run for. “This far,” seems to be the decision this week. Meanwhile gold and silver carry on, continuing to offer a simple and unassuming […]

READ MORE

Global Debt Crisis: Pretend and Extend?

Those who have chosen to invest in gold bars or to buy silver coins have often done so because they fear the mismanagement of the monetary system. This week has offered further reassurance that investors are right to want to own gold in a balanced portfolio because yet another fight about the US debt ceiling […]

READ MORE

A Showdown in Gold Is Imminent

The industry-leading In Gold We Trust Report was released this week. So convinced are the authors “that the monetary and geopolitical situation as well as the chart development of the gold price suggest that a showdown in gold is imminent” that the 2023 report is entitled “Showdown”. This is arguably one of (if not the) […]

READ MORE

Featured

The King and Queen will be Gold and Silver

READ MORE