financial crisis

Given the level of public outrage over the government's rescue of banks during the financial crisis, the final cost to the taxpayer of keeping those failed institutions afloat turns out to have been relatively modest: The FDIC has paid out a mere $8.89 billion to 165 banks since the crisis began.

After a few comatose years following the financial crisis, the IPO market is roaring back. And with names like Facebook and Groupon driving the rumor mill, smaller investors are wondering how to get in on the action. The answer: Carefully, thanks to the many risks.

Why is that so -- when the average worker hasn't enjoyed even a small raise? That's because Wall Street enjoys at least four major advantages that other industries can only dream about, including an implied backstop against losses by the federal government.

In its latest report, the IMF applauds national policymakers for stabilizing credit markets and putting the global economy on a recovery track. However, thorny problems remain -- including how to prevent overheating in emerging markets, and how to cut the U.S. deficit while lowering its unemployment rate.

The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission's report concludes that ineffective regulators and big banks were the primary causes of the financial meltdown. Next stop: Government and class action lawsuits to recoup some of what we all lost, and (please please please) criminal charges against the worst offenders too.

Upon taking office in 2009, Obama inherited two costly wars and an economy that had violently imploded just months before. What's changed since then? Quite a bit -- some for the better, some not. Here's a midterm progress report for key indicators of the country's economic health.

There's no shortage of pundits who shot to fame on the back of a bold, contrarian call only to come up empty afterwards. Meredith Whitney and Nuriel Rubini are just two pundits who called the meltdown while most others were oblivious. Too bad they've fared less well lately.

Paul Volcker, chairman of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board for President Barack Obama, is set to step down from the position next month. As a key adviser to the president, Volcker has advocated for tougher financial regulations and counseled the government on fiscal policy.

After getting hammered by the financial crisis two years ago, investors are finally showing signs of crawling out of their shells again. But they're still scarred and likely to be playing it a lot safer this time around. A new book holds promise for helping them do that.

Stocks closed broadly higher Tuesday, helped by more deal activity in the financial sector and upbeat earnings from the tech sector. After more than two years, the market has regained all its losses following the implosion of Lehman Brothers in September 2008.