The S&P futures are experiencing a brisk selloff despite BofA earnings coming in far above analyst expectations. The weakness comes as the U. S. government hints that it will likely convert its preferred shares in banks to common shares as opposed to asking Congress for more funding.
In effect, the government will have a controlling stake in several banks, meaning they could finally be giving into nationalization. The reality of nationalization is hitting equities hard, and implies that the capital ratios of some banks undergoing `stress tests' are questionable.
The news sets off a domino effect, making investors question the results of the `stress tests', raising uncertainty and placing large downward pressure on equities.