With apologies for the delay ladies and gents...
- Information about the US banking stress tests is slowly being released, it's been suggested that an individual is selectively leaking certain details. The results are apparently better than expected, Bank of America needs another $34 billion, Citgroup needs another $50 billion, a few other banks also need smaller top ups.
- A mood of generalised optimism apears to be breaking out with some talk of us being "through the worst of it", Ben Bernake is cautiously optimistic and a couple of investment banks have revised their eurozone forcasts upwards. your correspondent has doubts, rising US unemployment, record losses at Toyota and a halving of sales at GM would indicate we're not out of the woods yet.
- The government has agreed a deal to help troubled van maker LDV along with a Malaysian buyer, extra cash for Jaguar Land Rover appears not to be forthcoming as talks appear likely to break down.
- Your correspondent is impressed with the efforts of the Columbia journalism review has compiled a list 727 financial journalism stories, that could have been considered warnings of things to come.
- The Bank of England has kept rates steady at 0.5%, but has decided to put forward a nother £50 billion for quantitative easing, the ECB has cut rates from 1.25% to 1%.
- And finally, the FTSE rally continues, and the pound remains largely unmoved.
About the author: Andreas is a Labour activist based in Norwich, he's organiser for his local ward of Town Close. He works as a software developer and being the mercenary soul that he is has found himself working in the insurance, financial services, electronics and marketing industries at various points in time. He blogs at CitizenAndreas. Read more from this author