Economics and Investing:

The latest Friday Follies–Four More US Banks Bite the Dust: Midwest Bank & Trust Company, Elmwood Park, Illinois; Southwest Community Bank, Springfield, Missouri; New Liberty Bank, Plymouth, Michigan;
Satilla Community Bank, St. Marys, Georgia.

Banks seized a record 92,000 homes last month. (Thank to Brian B. for the link.)

Axel Merk explains what is behind the gold and global credit market shakeup: Europe’s Bazooka

Clive Maund has some interesting observations on the gold and silver markets.

Reader “T556” liked this commentary by Dave DeGraw: High Frequency Financial Terrorism, Wall Street Bankster’s Maintain Death Grip on United States

Items from The Economatrix:

Housing Optimists Are “Not Paying Attention” Says Dean Baker

Stocks Recover From Recent Slide Over Debt Fears

Senate Passes Curb on Bank Card Fees

Spain Faces Unrest as New Austerity Plan is Announced

Germans Face Big Budget Cuts as Cost of EU Bailouts

IMF Predicts More Pain for Greece

US Banks “May Have Misled” Rating Agencies

Euro at Lowest Level Since Lehman Collapse

US Retail Sales, Industrial Output Rise

Wall Street Spooked by Bank Probe and Greece Blast