ONLY $11.5 Billion?

WASHINGTON (AP) — Investors on Tuesday showed a bigger appetite for participating in a government program intended to boost the availability of loans to consumers and small businesses at cheaper rates. Investors requested $11.5 billion worth of loans, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said. That tally was up from $10.6 billion requested last month and the largest amount since the program started in March.

Is this multitrillion dollar economy, $11.5 billion is going to save it?

The Expected Unemployment Numbers

Bloomberg is expecting a range of 9.1% to 9.4% for the reported rate coming up this Friday.

Euro-Zone Slipping Further Into Deflation

The Euro zone annual inflation rate in the 16-country region fell to 0% in May from April’s 0.6%, according to Euro-stat. Economists said inflation would turn negative in June,—deflation—further complicating the task of the European Central Bank as it attempts to combat the worst economic downturn for half a century.

Euro-Zone Slipping Further Into Deflation

The Euro zone annual inflation rate in the 16-country region fell to 0% in May from April’s 0.6%, according to Euro-stat. Economists said inflation would turn negative in June,—deflation—further complicating the task of the European Central Bank as it attempts to combat the worst economic downturn for half a century.

Banking Crisis to Last Until 2013?

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A day after saying big U.S. banks probably needed to raise only one-fourth the capital demanded by the government, Standard & Poor's said the nation's banking crisis has "merely entered a new phase" and might not end before 2013.

Commercial Lending Falls More Than Consumer Lending

Washington, Jun 01 2009 June 1 - The Treasury Department reported today that total lending among US banks receiving Capital Purchase Program funds fell 0.8% in March, with commercial lending declining more than twice as fast as consumer lending.

Interbank Lending Rate at a New Low

The cost of three-month dollar loans fell to another record low Monday as stock markets continued to rally around the world amid renewed hopes that the worst of the global recession has passed.