With every proposed financial fix-up plan for the U.S. banking system, there’s always been one major sticking point: The logjam of hard-to-price – and even “toxic” – assets clogging the balance sheets of banks, investment houses or any other type of company with an involvement in the financial-services sector.

So what will $800 billion buy these days?  At the macro level, the Obama administration’s rescue plan will buy some new roads and bridges, 3.5 million new jobs and, hopefully, an economic recovery in the process.

Speaking at his annual press conference Friday, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao announced more than $200 billion of new spending to bolster the nation’s flagging economy. However, Wen also voiced concern about China’s financing of U.S. debt – which U.S. President Barack Obama is counting on to fund this country’s massive stimulus plan. 

Help is coming for 9 million overtaxed, indebted sods — so goes the jingle from our newest president of these United States.

Fears of a global recession and persistent concerns about the banking sector lifted the U.S. dollar on Monday as global stocks mostly faltered and oil prices shot higher on expectations of another OPEC output cut.

T.G.I.M (Thank goodness it’s March). Unfortunately, that’s what investors were saying when they closed the books on January and times have only gotten worse.

U.S. President Barack Obama’s speech to the joint session of Congress this week was a beautiful performance. His language was exquisite, his delivery was superb, his rhetoric – at times – truly uplifting. 

Nortel Cutting 3,200 Jobs; Agrium Makes Hostile Bid for CF Industries; Ambac Posts $2.34 Billion 4Q Loss; Obama Picks Locke; Oil Rallies; SanFran Chronicle Could Close

Oil held above $40 a barrel on Wednesday after a 4 percent rally in the previous session, as equities gained and investors looked ahead to U.S. inventory data expected to show rising supplies.

Renowned investor George Soros said Friday the world financial system has effectively disintegrated, and there’s no near-term bottom to this financial crisis in sight.