Last week there had been rumors that the bank was in trouble and on Friday it had to get a lifeline from JP Morgan Chase and the Fed.

NPR: Bailing out Bear Stearns

It approved the financing, and in fact the Fed is backstopping JP Morgan's purchase and guaranteeing some of Bear Stearns' business.

NPR: Bailing out Bear Stearns

Bernanke enumerated a series of measures including putting upward pressure on short-term interest rates through interest payments on reserves held by financial institutions, ceasing reinvestment of principal payments on securities held by the Fed, and even selling those securities in the open market. (Read Bernanke Put Allows JP Morgan To Post Profits On 96.9% Of 2010 Trading Days).

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