Jim Cramer's 'Stop Trading!': Consolidation Nation

Consolidation in key industries may help investors in this oversold market, Jim Cramer said on CNBC's "Stop Trading!" segment Thursday.

Cramer commented on the overall economic condition, prodded by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's speech today: "We are at the precipice. ... We need shotgun marriages."

Bank of America (BAC Quote) helped the odds of one such marriage today by announcing a deal with beleaguered mortgage lender Countrywide (CFC Quote).

"This is what happens at the bottom," Cramer said. "I just don't know why the Fed would say you got to pay a premium for Countrywide." He added that "They don't want Countrywide to go out of business, because the servicing thing would play havoc." Cramer believes that Wachovia (WB Quote) and Wells Fargo (WFC Quote) will respond well to a rate cut: "These stocks go down every day."

Berkshire Hathaway's (BRKA Quote) overtures to bond insurers Ambac (ABK Quote) and MBIA (MBI Quote) yesterday also indicated there may be hope in the troubled financial markets, Cramer said.

"We're so oversold, these things don't go away easily," Cramer said of today's jumps in financial stocks. Calling short-sellers "keen," he noted that the financials "were just the greatest shorts in the world," until news of potential consolidation in the industry caused some squeeze plays.

Airline stocks were treated to a similar rebound today, Cramer noted. Calling American Airlines operator AMR (AMR Quote) "worth a lot," Cramer said that in a month, he will be recommending the group.

Cramer continues to recommend the agricultural sector. "I love the ag guys because ag is so good," he said. "That Mosaic (MOS Quote) was down yesterday was just the shorts pressing their bets again."