US bail out cost less than 0.5% of GDP!

The US government faced fire for its $700 bn rescue of the financial sector in 2008 which was called Tarp. Surprise, surprise. The final cost is now estimated at less than $50 bn. My latest ET column explains how.

The losses in the financial sector across the world too were exaggerated by estimates made in a time of panic. Financial institutions hold mark to market securities whose prices are heavily depressed in times of panic. No point in estimating losses at these prices and the costs of a rescue. Governments will be frozen when they see the numbers. Just go out and save the large banks. Markets will bounce back and the costs will be far less than thought earlier. That's the lesson from the Tarp experience.