government backing

(Newser) - The markets saw modest losses today, erasing an early-session rally spurred by the announcement of a government bailout plan for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae as investors mulled the ramifications of a government rescue, MarketWatch reports. The Dow fell 45.35 points, closing at 11,055.19. The Nasdaq shed...

(Newser) - The teetering of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has underscored a major shift in US finance, writes Peter S. Goodman in the New York Times—once simply another guarantor, the government has effectively become the only lender in town "for millions of Americans engaged in the largest transactions of...

(Newser) - The best way for the Fed to help reverse the sagging economy is for it to buy some of the $6 trillion in outstanding mortgage-backed securities that have Wall Street so nervous, investors say. The move would ease the credit crunch but put taxpayers at risk. It’s an option...