In an odd bit of capitalist irony, the U.S. banking crisis could end up as the catalyst that finally jump-starts the long-moribund market for initial public stock offerings (IPOs). In fact, it already appears to be happening. U.S. banks - under government order to raise capital as a result of the recently completed bank stress tests, and desperate to shed the onerous shackles of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) - have been announcing billions in secondary stock offerings in recent days, and experts say many more such deals can be expected. Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: APC), Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) and Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) yesterday (Tuesday) became the latest U.S. companies to pursue new sources of capital, announcing deals that involved offerings of stock or debt, or outright asset sales. Those announcements ...

With the Treasury Department officially releasing the stress test results later today, Asian stocks swung into action amid some media reports that suggested major banks are better capitalized than once projected.  Reports trickling out over the days have suggested the bailout funds will be enough to plug the hole.  In Japan, where the markets opened after a three-day holiday, the Nikkei average charged ahead with a 4.6% gain. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong added 2.3% to close at 17,217.89.  Investors also took heart from ADP's employment report yesterday that said private sector jobs in the U.S. fell by a less than expected 491,000 inApril.  U.S. stock futures suggested a higher opening at the Wall Street.  Dow futures edged up 0.5% to 8,513.00 and Standard & Poor's 500 futures rose 0.5% to 921.50.

On Wednesday, U.S. markets advanced as some media reports suggested the balance

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