We highlight Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS), E-Trade Financial Corp. (ETFC) and The Charles Schwab Corp. (SCHW).The Federal Deficit will be almost $2 Trillion this year, or over 12% of GDP. If we exclude the WWII years, the previous peak in the deficit as a percent of GDP was 6.3% under Reagan. Next year, the deficit is projected to decline to about $1.2 Trillion, a projection that strikes me as optimistic, but even if achieved will still be a greater share of GDP than during the worst fiscal excesses of the Reagan years.Much of the deficit this year is unavoidable, as it comes from shrinking revenues as much as from higher spending. With profits down, corporate income taxes are down; with people unemployed, or having their salaries or hours cut, they pay less individual income taxes. And you can just guess what the ...

The current financial services melt-down has had differing effects on different companies. Dealing with the realities of the situation has become the only way that most can move forward. Some are assessing their situation while others are moving to right the issues. If there is one thing that most can agree upon; it would be that admitting to losses, making the needed moves now and working to move forward are the only ways to get back toward solid results.

E*Trade Financial Corp., an online trading concern, works to facilitate the online trading of certain financial products. In a general sense, the company is a retail company that offers the “average” person an opportunity to trade stocks and buy mutual funds. As with many financial institutions and companies, E*Trade Financial has been going through a period of adjustment. It has, however, readjusted in a significant manner and appears to be moving forward

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