Thursday, September 18, 2008

9:48 p.m. EDT Washington Mutual Update (WM)

I think. Here's the headline at Naked Capitalism:
Bloomberg and Financial Times Running Contradictory Reports on Interest in WaMu

We knew the FT headline was too bearish so we added "Yet".
From Naked Capitalism:
Reader Dwight pointed out this amusing disparity in reporting. The Financial Time is definitive, It title: "No bidders come for Washington Mutual":
Hopes of finding a buyer for Washington Mutual dimmed on Thursday as an auction for the beleaguered US bank had yet to attract any bids...
The Bloomberg headline? "WaMu Said to Attract Multiple Potential Bidders";
Washington Mutual Inc., the savings and loan that put itself up for sale this week after the stock tumbled, has attracted several potential bidders for all or part of the bank, a person familiar with the matter said....
Naked Capitalism comments:
Recall the reporting of multiple parties allegedly interested in buying Lehman, when none came forward. I tend to be skeptical of reports of interest until there are signs deal discussions are on. But in this case, who knows?
From the Consumerist:
WaMu Direct Deposit Customers: Print Your Statements
With a link to this video at CNBC's "On the Money": Web Extra: What to Do About WaMu

From Reuters:
WaMu still weighing sale, capital raising: sources

From The Stranger:
Sinking Ship
The Stranger Ponders the Meaning of the Washington Mutual Meltdown

From MarketWatch:
Fitch places WaMu ratings on 'evolving' review


From the Seattle Times:
Investors fret over WaMu's survival odds


From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
WaMu customers getting jittery; some close accounts