The Private Equity Story You Need to Read

We'll guess you took a look at the headline "Private Equity" and "IndyMac" and thought it to be a snooze. You'd be wrong.

Here's why you care: Ask yourself why would private equity want IndyMac? The answer of course is they think they can make some money. The New York Times' Zachery Kouwe points out, "the proposed deal is unusual because it is one of the first transactions involving unregulated private equity firms acquiring a majority stake in a bank holding company." You might say, ah-ha!, this is about regulation and the impact of private equity making such a move. Maybe in the long term. But, in the short term, this is a story about money sitting on the sidelines deciding it is time to take advantage of fire sales. Read this story, then keep your eye out for more like it. We suspect when you see a number of them it will be a sign that the gears of the market are slowly moving again.