by Calculated Risk on 11/07/2007 11:30:00 AM
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
WaMu: Expected "Soft Landing" becomes "Severe Downturn"
From Reuters: Washington Mutual sees loan losses; shares tumble (hat tip barely)
Washington Mutual Inc ... said on Wednesday the U.S. housing slump will persist through 2008, causing loan losses to mount and mortgage lending to fall to an eight-year low.What expected soft landing? And further in the article:
...
It expects credit losses to remain "elevated" through 2008. ...
"The soft landing we were anticipating quickly transitioned to a severe downturn," Chief Executive Kerry Killinger said in a presentation to investors in New York. "This process is painful."
[The CEO says] WaMu has "contained" its own lending risks.Ahhh, more containment!