Stocks Fall on Recession Fears

Investors starting to panic that nobody has answers

(NEWSER) - What's behind the market meltdown? Some on-the-fly observations:

• Ezra Klein, Washington Post : The market is "diving because of forces Washington can’t control, and in many cases, doesn’t understand very well. How many members of Congress do you think could give a coherent account of what has happened to oil or steel prices over the last three years? Or what’s happening in the Eurozone? Or to the yuan?" Nobody knows where the recovery will come from, and the markets are reflecting that panic.

Citigroup hasn't learned its lesson from financial crisis

(NEWSER) - Have the big banks learned their lesson from the financial crisis? Not a chance, writes Charlie Gasparino in the Daily Beast . Citigroup’s recent attempt to bar a well-respected financial analyst from questioning its executives about accounting practices, plus new documents proving the bank’s top brass knew about its massive risk-taking, all prove that this “behemoth” still holds “contempt for the needs of investors and the American taxpayer.” More»

'Fat finger trade' likely triggered trader panic

(NEWSER) - What's known in the business as a "fat finger" trade may have been responsible for yesterday's stock market chaos, analysts say. Multiple sources believe a trader at a major firm—possibly Citigroup—hit a "B" instead of an "M" while trading Procter & Gamble shares, selling a billion shares instead of a million , and sending the Dow Jones on a panicky rollercoaster ride. Major exchanges are also examining possible erroneous trades in multiple stocks that triggered glitches in the trading system, notes the Wall Street Journal. More»

Figures spark renewed fears that feds are at a loss

(NEWSER) - The US bank lending rate has fallen its fastest in history, sparking renewed fears that the government hasn't done enough to prop up the economy and that America's troubles are far from over. Lending has plummeted $100 billion just since January, which amounts to a 16% annualized drop. Some $740 billion of bank credit has evaporated since the credit crisis began, a record drop of 10%, reports the Telegraph . More»

Dow up 61% since the low point in March

(NEWSER) - Stocks have rebounded mightily since the dark days of March, though analysts warn the dazzling recovery could make for a lackluster 2010, or even auger a double-dip recession or '30s-style yo-yoing markets. The good news first: Barring a disastrous close today, the Dow will be up around 61% since March lows, and 20% for the year, the best showing since 2003. The S&P and NASDAQ are also on track to have their best year since then. More»