IMF Predicts Global “Great Recession”; United Tech. Cuts 11,600 Jobs; Brazil Economy Grows 1.3% in 4Q; Malaysia Adds $16 Billion to Stimulus; GM to Sell Half of Opel; Big Corporate Bankruptcies Surge in 2009; Hedge Funds to Slash 20,000 Jobs; SEC Will Bring Back Uptick Rule

The fraud scandal surrounding Allen Stanford and his consortium of investment firms grew to shocking proportions today (Thursday) as it spread its tentacles from the United States and the Caribbean to Latin America and Europe.

FOMC Brainstorms; Dimon and Lewis Bet Big on Financials; Former BofA CEO Thain Reinvents Self; Yahoo! Posts Fourth-Quarter Loss; Consumer Confidence Hits Record Low; S&P/Case-Schiller Housing Index Plunges 18%

No one person is responsible for the credit crisis, the failure of investment banks, the insolvency of commercial banks world-wide, the implosion of the world’s stock markets, or for leading us to the precipice of another great depression.

President-elect Barack Obama yesterday (Thursday) named Mary L. Schapiro – a strong proponent of protections for individual investors – to head the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission when his administration takes office next month, the biggest of three nominations with potential financial crisis implications.

The Fed goes for broke – and the rest of the country follows…there are really only two ways out of this mess… Instead of inflation, we’re getting deflation…Gideon Gono can show the Fed how to use these ‘new tools’… Some sage advice for Obama…the SEC does not fight fraud, it aids and abets it…and more!

President-elect Barack Obama is expected to name Mary L. Schapiro – a strong proponent of protections for individual investors – to head the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission when his administration takes office next month, according to news media reports that began circulating last night (Wednesday).

Underlying the credit crisis gripping the U.S. and world economies is a crisis of confidence. Blame has been laid at the feet of the U.S. Federal Reserve, and an investment bankers’ brew of toxic financial products. Ultimately, however, it was the supposedly trustworthy rating agencies that got everyone to drink the poisoned Kool-Aid.

South Africa Cuts Interest Rates; BlackRock Cans 500; Empire Co. Posts 13% Profit; KB Toys Files for Bankruptcy; Citi and UBS to Buy Back $30 Billion in Securities; Bank of America to Cut 35,000 Jobs

Survey; U.S. began recession in April; Target 3Q Profit Down 24%; Merrill Lowers 2009 Brazil Growth to 2.9%; Hong Kong Officially in Recession; SEC Charges Cuban with Insider Trading; Lowe’s Revenue Climbs; October Industrial Output Rises