5.8 billion of an estimated 14.2 billion in Merrill Lynch?

mortgage write downs were for mortgage funds comprised of people with an "A" credit rating or better. When asked if the funds were not priced to sell, Merrill Lynch all but admitted they had no idea . . . Does this (if at all) provide any indication of what is likely to happen in the U.S. economy? What does it say about the credit crisis? Is it expanding? Will other forms of consumer credit be next?