Saturday, December 20, 2008

That's why car dealers have huge flags outside

From the fine print in the US Federal Reserve's latest credit spigot, the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF) --

All or substantially all of the credit exposures underlying eligible ABS [asset-backed securities] must be exposures to U.S.-domiciled obligors. The underlying credit exposures of eligible ABS initially must be auto loans, student loans, credit card loans, or small business loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. For these purposes, auto loans will include retail loans and leases relating to cars, light trucks, or motorcycles, and will include auto dealer floorplan loans;

In other words, those cars sitting in the showroom will in effect be financed by the Fed between the time they ship from the manufacturer and sell to a customer -- if they ever sell.

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