(an interoffice email)

> – any chance they would take discount window rate down intra-meeting (or before year end)

seems they don’t have to with this new ‘facility.’

> – have u evaluated the “loan auction” story?

Seems a lot like ‘standard’ repo apart from accepting pretty much anything as collateral from member banks in good standing. This should allow any member bank to fund itself a the ‘stop’ of the auctions, and I’m guessing that stop will be maybe 25 over funds, just to have some semblence of a ‘penalty rate’ though with no ‘stigma.’

Non member banks will still need to borrow from member banks, most likely, and so to the extent they are in the libor basket the libor settings could stay higher than otherwise. Not sure how all that will settle out.

But member banks using the Fed as ‘broker of last resort’ means borrowing and lending with the Fed will keep the names of other banks off their books over year end, and may make room for member bank/non member bank lending. Hard to say, but prospects look pretty good for this to clear up the year end log jam. Also, the ECB could do same with a $ facility which would also help.

Keep me posted if you hear anything, thanks.

♥