Bubble Decade

In The Bubble Decade, a one-hour CNBC Original documentary, Correspondent David Faber reports on one of the most dramatic periods in the history of America’s financial markets. As the first decade of the 21^st century draws to a close, Faber looks back at the tumultuous era, one marked by ambition and innovation, avarice and excess, and record highs – and lows – on Wall Street. 

The sweeping story of the three economic bubbles that defined the decade begins with the tech bubble, its apex marked by AOL’s audacious takeover of Time Warner.  The deal signified the heights and hope of the dot-com boom, a chapter that saw the creation of scores of high-flying internet companies, many of which would die an early death.  The middle of the decade brought the housing boom and the formation of the real estate bubble.  It was the age of easy money, with banks all too eager to fund new construction, and developers and homeowners all too eager to take on loans they couldn’t afford.  The last bubble of the decade to burst was the credit bubble, exemplified by private equity firms awash in money and on the lookout for takeover targets.  In some cases, these private equity deals and leveraged buyouts resulted in a lucky few making a fortune, with the targeted company loaded up with debt and ruined in the process.  

The rollercoaster ride of the past decade is told through the people who lived it: some who made millions, some who lost millions, and some who did both.  Faber profiles Internet entrepreneurs, real estate speculators, and corporate takeover specialists.  In addition to reporting the taped segments, Faber will moderate two panels of key players who shaped the biggest financial stories of the decade.