E*Trade Financial Corporation has taken down its "for sale" sign - a decision made by the Board of Directors.  The board decided to call off the sales process after 3 months, based on a recommendation by Goldman Sachs, the firm's financial adviser.  E*Trade began the sales process after one of its largest investors, financial adviser Citadel Investment Group, pressed the board to explore an auction. Several potential buyers, including TD Ameritrade, had publicly expressed a lack of interest in striking a deal.  Instead, the company will focus on its own efforts to turn itself around. And so, according to Steven Freiberg, E*Trade’s CEO and Interim Chairman, "the management team will continue to execute on our strategy designed to create value for both our stockholders and our customers.” People briefed on the sales process had said previously that a deal looked unlikely, citing both E*Trade’s efforts to slim down a problematic book of mortgages and the volatile stock markets that had given potential buyers pause. It's anyone's guess what the firm's next steps will be.  Perhaps the firm will focus more closely on a new set of Super Bowl advertisements - we hear the talking babies are itching for some work. [DealBook, 11/10/11]