The TED Spread gives you a snapshot of how healthy the global credit market is. The credit market is going to have to thaw and begin functioning in a healthy manner before the stock market can truly rebound and begin climbing again.
The TED spread measures the difference between the yield on the 3-month Treasury Bill (T-bill) and the value of the eurodollar futures contract—which is based on the 3-month LIBOR rate. To calculate the TED spread, you simply subtract the yield on the 3-month T-bill from the value of the eurodollar contract. For instance if the value of the eurodollar contract is at 3.75 percent and the yield on the 3-month T-bill is at 2.25 percent, the TED spread is 1.50 percent, or 150 basis points (3.75 – 2.25 = 1.50).