09.08.08
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Seized by Government
The Bush Administration has finally seized Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over the weekend. Many have been expecting this takeover to happen but the fact that the government had to step in and take these companies over shows what a bad position this housing market is truly in. This takeover will calm the financial market now that the government is backing the two major companies and that can be seen in the stock market this morning. The European markets and the Japanese markets were up big today as well as the US stock market this morning. Confidence is key right now in the financial market so the government takeover is proving to be a success with that aspect as of now. How the rest of this will unfold no one knows but this takeover will cost taxpayers a lot of money but was a necessary evil in order to keep the financial market moving and hopefully help to put a bottom in the housing industry. Below is an article touching on the takeover.
US government takes on big role in mortgage market
By MARTIN CRUTSINGER and ALAN ZIBEL, AP Business Writers
WASHINGTON – Uncle Sam has just become the 800 pound gorilla in the U.S. mortgage market. The Bush administration announced Sunday it was seizing troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in a bid to help reverse a prolonged housing and credit crisis.