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JPMorgan's loss: A sign that Wall Street's mindset hasn't changed

Pedestrians walk past a Chase bank branch in Chicago, Ill. 

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Jeremy Hobson: The JPMorgan mess was apparently caused by a London trader who was selling insurance contracts on corporate debt. For some analysis now, let's bring in our New York bureau chief Heidi Moore. Good morning.

Heidi Moore: Good morning.

Hobson: Well Heidi, obviously there are some implications for JPMorgan and its shareholders and maybe there is going to be some change in mindset about regulations on Wall Street, but why does this loss matter so much that it's affecting financial markets all around the world?

Moore: Because it also has implications for the financial system. On Wall Street there's a saying: There's never just one cockroach in the kitchen. So if JPMorgan -- the alleged smartest guys in the room -- could take a bet this big, this stupid, and lose it then what are other banks also up to? It shows us that we've learned nothing and that the mindset of Wall Street hasn't changed, that risk is out there and we're not measuring it well.

Hobson: Well how big a loss is $2 billion for a big Wall Street firm?

Moore: That's an enormous amount. There have been bigger losses -- Morgan Stanley during the subprime crisis lost $10 billion on a single bet. But you still don't lose $2 billion overnight. You start out small and what happened is he probably lost money and then covered up his losses by throwing more money after it.

Hobson: It sounds like you're talking about a gambler in Las Vegas, I have to say.

Moore: And you know what, that's exactly the mindset at work here and that's what makes people afraid -- that the gambler mindset is not something that you can get around with regulation, management or even notification. This story has been in the press for over a month and JPMorgan still kept betting.

Hobson: Marketplace New York bureau chief Heidi Moore joining us from New York. Thanks a lot, Heidi.

Moore: Thank you.

About the author

Heidi N. Moore is the New York bureau chief and Wall Street correspondent for Marketplace, where she reports and writes about the culture of banks, companies, financing and markets.
AuntieGreed's picture
AuntieGreed - May 11, 2012

Dear Ms. Moore,

Do you know what would change the mindset, and change the supervision of low-level and mid-level traders? An income celing enforced by a 100 percent tax on all earnings after the first 10 million Euros (or equivalent). If this trader's bosses knew that no one could earn more than 10 million in a year, yet the company and the individuals were still open to the risks of unlimited losses, then the mindset would change in a meaningful way. No longer would profits be the over-riding value driving businesses. Profits would still be powerful enough, who could possibly walk away from an income nearning 10 million?? At the same time corporations and companies could earn unlimited amounts, but the culture in the board rooms and executive suites would change if all those individuals knew that their personal income was limited per year.

I would love to have your input on this idea, have you join the conversation.

All my best to you,
Auntie Greed
auntiegreed.blogspot.com