The U.S. government is running up against its $16.4 trillion borrowing limit and is taking steps to avoid default. Reaching the limit Monday sets up another dispute between the White House and Congress over taxes and spending in the new year.
The U.S. Treasury Department is offering up its remaining Citigroup shares, a move that marks the end of one of the federal government's largest bank bailouts. But the Treasury says it will hold out for an "acceptable price" for the 2.4 billion shares.
The U.S. Treasury Department will issue the second-largest quantity of debt ever for the fourth quarter of this calendar year. However, the quality is less than previously forecast because of a higher-than-expected government cash balance.
The federal deficit will amount to the equivalent of approximately 10% of U.S. gross domestic product for the fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, according to a Treasury official. That's about the same percentage as the previous fiscal year.
American International Group's board of directors is expected to vote Wednesday on a plan to exit the government's bailout program, according to comments made by AIG Chairman Steve Miller during an investment conference.
The financial crisis was produced by a complex set of circumstances, including a massive housing bubble, poor regulation and irresponsible lending on an epic scale. A handful of bankers became the public faces of the crisis, and now, two years later, we take a look at what became of them.
