AIG (NYSE: AIG) is borrowing even more money from the Federal government. As of October 23, it had tapped into $90 billion of the $123 billion the government has made available. The insurance giant was set up with the massive credit line on concerns that if it fails, it could bring the global financial and credit system down with it.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the weekly total of AIG's draw-down remains large. "The new total is $7.4 billion, or nearly 9%, more than AIG had tapped as of a week earlier," the paper said. On Oct. 22, AIG's chief executive said the current bailout loan might not be enough.
Since it is a real possibility that the amount of capital available to AIG may be inadequate, the important question to ask now is, what happens if AIG needs more money?
For starters, common shareholders will probably see the value of their holdings go to zero. AIG's shares are already down to under $2 a share -- a sign traders think it will go bankrupt -- compared to a 52-week high of $64.25 (a full year ago). The government owns 80% of the firm now. For people in the stock, it is probably a good time to take whatever money you have left and run.
The more difficult question is how far does the government go in providing funds? The answer is that the amount of capital may have to go much higher. The credit crisis is not getting better. AIG's credit derivative swaps and mortgage-backed paper are falling in value almost every day. If the government still believes that propping up AIG is the key to averting a true global financial meltdown, it will have to extend more credit to the company.
Economists could debate whether AIG had to be saved. But now that the government has set itself up as a savior, it can hardly back down. If AIG were to go bankrupt it could spark a catastrophe which might be bigger than the one caused by the failure of Lehman. That's a risk the country can't take right now.
Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 24/7 Wall St.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
10-24-2008 @ 2:27PM
swissvaler said...
black hole
10-24-2008 @ 9:01PM
PK said...
simply amazing, what a waste of money
10-24-2008 @ 9:34PM
Orion838 said...
I thought AIG was supposed to sell assets to pay back the money the federal government loaned them. Why aren't they doing this? Why isn't the Fed making them do this?
10-25-2008 @ 5:29PM
STEVE said...
AIG IS HOLDING 45BILLION IN TAX FREE GOV BONDS. WHY DON'T THEY TURN THESE OVER TO THE FED TO REDUCE THEIR LOAN?
10-25-2008 @ 8:21PM
Chris said...
AIG is in a lot of trouble and I don't think they have the "strength to be there". This article is pretty interesting over at gotoguy.com
http://www.gotoguy.com/?p=472
10-27-2008 @ 6:33AM
jd said...
Steve got it in his response. If AIG has billions in government debt securities, these should be turned over to the Fed to repay the loans. The profitable insurance businesses of AIG should be separated from the CDS and MBS-investing divisions and sold.
10-27-2008 @ 6:42AM
Dorothy said...
What are suppose to do if you have Auto policies with Aig?
10-27-2008 @ 6:49AM
Bill Morris said...
Question? Will the taxpayer be liable for compensation packages should the company fail?
10-27-2008 @ 6:56AM
Kelly said...
OK, so maybe they shouldn't have taken a 400,000 retreat to a spa resort. Not like that was more than a drop in the bucket compaired to the 90B. they were given to blow. Financial bail-out. Did they really think that this would help? We're all still broke, loosing jobs, homes, need food on our tables, clothing for our children. Non of these things are getting cheaper. The Gas is the only thing dropping. The groceries aren't dropping and they said they went up due to the increase in gas prices. So, once again hoodoo the little guy, but be sure you save those big rich thangs up there, cause your little man isn't going to be here to hold you up much longer.
Side note: The 'low class' people could have saved everyone on the Titanic, check the studies. Guess the high society just wants us to drown again!
10-27-2008 @ 7:08AM
RICHARD said...
I SAY, LET THOSE WHO FAILED, FAIL! THE WHOLE COUNTRY WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF (AND CHEAPER) IF THE GOV. JUST GAVE EVERY AMERICAN $1,000,000.... AS UNREALISTIC AND STUPID AS THAT MIGHT SOUND/BE TOO.
FOLKS, THIS IS NOT GOOD! AND I KNEW IT WOULDN'T BE.
TIP OF THE DAY.....HIDE YOPU MONEY. PREFERABLY NEXT TO YOUR 9mm.
10-27-2008 @ 7:21AM
pierre said...
I HAVE BEEN POOR MY WHOLE LIFE AND IT IS GOING TO BE FOR THE REST OF IT TOO.CANT UNDESTAND WHY NOBODY IS RESPONSABLE FOR THIS CATASTROPHE THOSE HIGH PAID CEO ARE PLAYING GOLF AS WE SPEAK..THE HIGHT PAY AND THOSE GOLD PARACHUTE DID NOT WARANTY A SMOOTH SAILING IN AIG..AGAIN THE LITTLE PEOPLES WILL BE ASK TO PAY FOR THOSE LOSER CEO WITH THE MORGAGING MY KIDS GENERATION...I SAY....GO TO HELL ASS%$#@*s
10-27-2008 @ 7:25AM
Paul Moschetta said...
I just recently cashed in my money market accoung with AIG simply because the money was not insured by the FDIC but instead with an AIG Insurance entity of the corporate conglomerate. What good is their insurance when they don't have the funds to back it, so I closed it out, and redirected the funds to another account. If they fail, it is their own fault.
10-27-2008 @ 7:39AM
carla said...
If you have policies with them you better be looking for new insurance.... I have a one car policy with them and I've been cancelled! Kinda sick when our tax dollars are supposed to help, and we get screwed anyway!
10-27-2008 @ 7:09PM
Debbie St.Onge said...
If AIG was going to fail then they should have been able to fail without the taxpayers putting up $123 Billion Dollars so they could vacation in style and live on their golden parachutes after they go under.....
As a taxpayer who was against these 'bailouts' in the first place I am disgusted and angry as hell!!!
10-27-2008 @ 8:01AM
Steve said...
There has been massive lack of responsibility with the regulatory oversight of AIG and the senior corporate executives of this company. The regulators have proven to be inept and the executives need not only to be replaced but prosecuted for their lack of diligence in allowing this company to fail on their watches. For the taxpayer being required to come to the aid of this organization is like pouring money down a rathole. When ever the govt gets involved in the private sector they tend to muck up private sector enterprises. The very idea that we have politicians supporting this reflects the quality and level of these politicians.
10-27-2008 @ 8:11AM
John Zawicki said...
Sounds like they just making an excuse to steal money! To think we burned witches??? We need the same treatment of CEO`s & see if they change their ways then!!!!!!!
10-27-2008 @ 8:12AM
Hitechceo said...
Looks like time for another company outing to boost moral for their top losers. $750,000 should do it. I hear Dubai is nice this time of year. Perhaps a big bonus might turn things around. Hell it's only blood money leached from the American tax payer. The rich gets richer and the rest of us pay for it. It's the Republican way.
10-27-2008 @ 8:15AM
Al said...
The federal government established a dangerous precedent when it made its initial donation of taxpayer money to save AIG. That money is long gone and the government, never one to cut its (our!) losses, has offered even more money to AIG, most of which they have blown through already, as AIG stock continues to plummet. That shows that the market knows that AIG is in fact bankrupt, as it already was in September. The problem is that, while the Fed replaced the last incompetent CEO, it did not rid AIG of the rest of its management structure, nor did it enforce the dictate that AIG sell assets to restore solvency. AIG's present problems may be traced back to the dismissal of long-time CEO Maurice Greenberg and his replacement with Martin Sullivan as CEO, who through a combination of incompetence and greed allowed AIG to deviate from sound economic practices. (For this destruction, Mr. Sullivan was to have been rewarded with a $15 million golden parachute plus $5 million bonus!) The corporate welfare program needs to end - NOW! The reality is that if AIG is allowed to fail, which is sound free-market practice, the sale of its assets will serve to re-energize other businesses through expansion and allow some payment back to the taxpayers. If AIG is permitted to drain public coffers as it has, it has no incentive to change its failed "business as usual" attitude or to discontinue its profligate ways, such as lavish trips and millions for lobbyists.
10-27-2008 @ 8:28AM
John said...
It appears this is a strong indication of how the Bush, Paulson, Bernike bailout is going to go. Congress should never have given them what they wanted.
10-27-2008 @ 8:31AM
Bet said...
What will happen to the life insurance policies that people have? I am to old to get another police John hancock screwed us with the last one