That's actually pretty much right on the money there lespaul.
Sometime this year there is a very high probability that either one or a few European countries or American states default on their debt. There is already riots from the people in these countries demanding their governments tell the banks to get stuffed and when this happens interest rates will go through the roof. The Aussie market has already fallen top end and now the bottom is starting to fall out. If you were a bank shareholder and the banks majority investment was in a falling market wouldn't you want them to decrease their holdings and put it in to something that was increasing in value. If they didn't see this coming then you wouldn't have much faith in management. So to make sure you move your share to the other guy( which with the governments help with more RMBS will be the little guys) you just become more noncompetitive when the market has fallen over then you can come in and get a bigger market share for less money.
