7 Things Wall Street Can Be Thankful For This Year (PHOTOS, POLL)
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A little more than one year after the financial crisis brought the economy to a standstill -- threatening nearly every firm on Wall Street -- one thing is clear: the Street should be thanking its lucky stars.
From the taxpayer-funded $700 billion TARP program to the assorted forms of financial goodies the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve have tossed to bankers and financiers, the Street is doing quite well.
As the industry's profits have rebounded and as the stock market has rallied -- and as unemployment now exceeds 10 percent -- it's worth noting that, if there's been one early winner in the financial crisis, it's probably the financial industry. As the vaunted bonus season approaches for many a trader, the degree to which Wall Street has outpaced the larger economy has come under an increasing amount of scrutiny.
To that end, we decided to compile a handful of the many blessings Wall Street can be thankful for during this holiday season. (HINT: most of them involve the use of government funds, debt guarantees or other windfalls to generate profits.) Check our photos below, and vote for exactly what Wall Street should be most thankful for.
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First Posted: 3/18/10 Updated: 5/25/11