BusinessWeek selected the most ridiculous financial predictions for 2008, from accurate to the contrary

Virtually all of the most influential American experts and analysts were mistaken in their forecasts for the outgoing year. But some predictions about the situation in the economy of 2008 proved to be false simply phenomenal, said with reference to magazine BusinessWeek.

Here's how to look like Top-10:

1. "We are waiting for very strong and long-time recovery market, - said March 27, the influential editor of business publications Profitable Investing Letter Richard Bend. - But to start, maybe need another couple of days. Recommend that all investors hold their positions and not lose faith !. " At the time of the predictions of Dow Jones index stood at 12300 points. By the end of December, he slipped to 8500.

2. Insurance company AIG could announce record earnings in the second quarter, as announced May 9, the analyst company Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Bizhan Moazami. In the second quarter the company announced a loss of 5 billion dollars in the next another 25 billion dollars. Shares of AIG in fact lost almost all their value over the past year, and the government has already uploaded to save the giant 150 billion dollars.

3. "I think that the risk to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae greatly exaggerated - expressed their views July 14, the head of the Committee on Financial Operations of the U.S. Congress Barney Frank. - Before them is not worth the threat of falling ... I think they are in good shape, and will move forward. " Two months later the Government had in tow the two mortgage agencies, investing in each of 100 billion dollars.

4. "The market is on track " - issued its regular pearl U.S. President George W. Bush on 14 March. All subsequent time, the market continued to and and ...

5. "No, no and no again! Assure you that the bank Bear Stearns was not threatened, he has a true case well", - said March 11, an economic analyst Jim Cramer TV channel CNBC. Exactly five days JPMorgan Chase through the White House acceded to a bank Bear Stearns, erasing the value of its shares to almost zero.

6. "In 2008, sales of homes will grow" - read the title of a press release the National Association of Realtors in December 2007. 23 Dec, 2008 Association noted that the November sales fell by 11% on last year's, which has the worst rate since the Great Depression.

7. "You will see that the price per barrel of oil by the end of the year at 150 dollars" - predicted in July, the American oil billionaire Thomas Boone Pikens. Today, oil traded at 36 dollars.

8. "I think some of bankruptcy would be ... But I do not think they will affect international banking assets, which constitute a significant part of our banking system" - said the head of U.S. Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke in February 2008. In September largest in the history of U.S. financial institution - the bank Washington Mutual. In November, the majority of state still needed the bank Citigroup.

9. "In today's level of financial regulation, violate the rules practically impossible", - said in October 2007 financier Bernard Medoff, who is accused of establishing a financial pyramid.

10. "Impossible Candidate: What we took Barack Obama and why he will not be able to win" - under that name in late 2007 book conservative American author Shelby Steel.