banking industry

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Feds May Take Part Ownership of US Banks

(Newser) - The Treasury Department may take part ownership of many US banks in a bid to encourage lending and shore up confidence, the New York Times reports. Under the proposal, Treasury would give banks cash in exchange for ownership stakes. In theory, that would improve balance sheets and help banks lend...

Better Than a Bailout: Boost FDIC Coverage to $1M

Higher deposit insurance would bring money in, help thaw credit markets

(Newser) - Congress should stop fighting over the Paulson bailout, writes BusinessWeek economist Michael Mandel, and approve an expansion of FDIC deposit insurance to $1 million. It should also triple deposit insurance reserves to $145 billion. It would solve the immediate problem, calming the hysteria in the market, and attract funds to...

France Shudders at Bank Bailout of Its Own

(Newser) - As the financial crisis ripples through Europe, France’s banking industry is scrambling to assure investors and customers it will weather the storm, which prompted the country to join in the $9-billion bailout of Belgian-French bank Dexia, reports the Press Association. Dexia's cross-border status amplified the concern, reports the New ...

Fed, Treasury Fall Back on Existing 'Inadequate' Tools

With no federal deal, agencies limited to ad hoc solutions

(Newser) - With yesterday’s failure of the $700 billion bailout, the Fed and Treasury are reconsidering their options, the New York Times reports. Fearful of cutting interest rates, they're back to rescuing struggling institutions on a case by case basis, and printing money—offering $150 billion in emergency loans to banks...

Wells Closing In on Deal to Buy Wachovia

Merger would create three banks with 30% of all deposits

(Newser) - Wells Fargo appeared to be close last night to forging a deal to buy struggling Wachovia, the nations's fourth-largest bank, reports the Wall Street Journal. Federal regulators pressured Wachovia to seek a suitor after its share prices plunged 47% last week. Citigroup was also in talks, but Wells now appears...

Charlotte Booms Amid Bust
 Charlotte Booms Amid Bust 
Sep 28, 2008 6:15 PM CDT

Charlotte Booms Amid Bust

City is second-largest financial center in US, with $2 trillion in assets

(Newser) - As the rest of the nation struggles through the mortgage bust, Charlotte, NC, is experiencing a boom, Time reports. The pro-business Southern city—home of Bank of America and eight other Fortune 500 firms—manages $2 trillion in assets, making it the second-largest financial center in the US behind New...

JPMorgan Buys WaMu After Regulators Seize It
JPMorgan Buys WaMu
After Regulators Seize It
updated
Sep 25, 2008 7:43 PM CDT

JPMorgan Buys WaMu After Regulators Seize It

(Newser) - Federal regulators seized Washington Mutual tonight and sold nearly all of its operations to JPMorgan for $1.9 billion, the Washington Post reports. It is the largest bank failure in US history. WaMu, previously the nation's largest savings and loan, had been reeling from bad mortgage loans and put itself...

Fed Loosens Reins on Private Funds Buying Into Banks

But some worry risky loans will result

(Newser) - The Fed has loosened the rules that curtailed private investments in banks, the Wall Street Journal reports. The move may inject more cash into the financial system—if private equity chooses to invest—but will raise fears of profit-hungry investors snapping up stakes in banks to make quick cash with...

World Markets Mixed: 'Fasten Your Seatbelts'

US turmoil continues to roil world's market; central banks act to insure liquidity

(Newser) - A huge cash injection into global money markets by central banks and the buyout of British lender HBOS by Lloyds-TSB eased some investor worries and pushed European stocks slightly higher today, reports the New York Times. But concerns about the ongoing crisis in the US continued to batter Asian stocks...

Morgan Stanley, Wachovia Explore Possible Merger

(Newser) - Morgan Stanley, one of the two big investment banks left standing in the economic rubble, is exploring a merger with Wachovia or another bank, the Wall Street Journal reports. Morgan Stanley officials have had preliminary talks with the other institutions as they scramble to shore up the company's plunging stock...

Fed Considers AIG Bailout; Ex-CEO Weighs Proxy Fight

Hank Greenberg, forced out in 2005, among investors mulling options

(Newser) - Reversing course, the Fed is considering a bailout package to help boost the liquidity of suddenly beleaguered AIG, even as the mega-insurer's ex-CEO considers a move to take control through a proxy fight or buyout, Bloomberg reports. In a regulatory filing, Hank Greenberg, who retired under pressure in 2005, says...

Paulson Played Cards Well in High-Stakes Showdown
Paulson Played Cards Well
in High-Stakes Showdown
ANALYSIS
Sep 16, 2008 12:27 PM CDT

Paulson Played Cards Well in High-Stakes Showdown

Paulson, remaining banks struggle to pull the market back together

(Newser) - Cue the Kenny Rogers, suggests Steve Pearlstein in the Washington Post; “Hank Paulson knows when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.” Paulson was so determined not to commit federal dollars to bail out Lehman Bros. that when the banks said they couldn't step in...

Bailout Likely to Sink Some Small Banks

Those with significant Fannie/Freddie stock face capital crunch

(Newser) - The government’s takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the resulting crash of the value of the companies’ shares, has started a domino effect that likely will push some smaller banks into failure, the Washington Post reports. Some institutions heavily invested in the seemingly safe stocks will find...

UK Banks 'Milk Borrowers' to Pay for Credit Crunch

Banks hike mortgage payments despite interest rate cuts

(Newser) - Britain's big banks are being accused of hoisting nearly £3 billion in interest payments on customers to make up for bad bank investments, the Daily Mail reports. Seeking to recoup huge losses from assets linked to subprime US mortgages, the banks have hiked mortgage rates and fees despite interest...

Merrill Panic May Mark Bottom of Stock Market
Merrill Panic May Mark Bottom of Stock Market
analysis
Aug 1, 2008 10:30 AM CDT

Merrill Panic May Mark Bottom of Stock Market

Once regaled for cavalier confidence, CEO's chief cuts losses

(Newser) - Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain has seen better days, Floyd Norris writes in the New York Times. He's gone from “cockiness to capitulation. Distinction to desperation.” Thain recently unloaded a bundle of his company’s securities for 22 cents on the dollar and raised $8.5 billion from...

Squeezed Banks Slash Biz Loans
Squeezed
Banks Slash
Biz Loans
Jul 28, 2008 5:09 AM CDT

Squeezed Banks Slash Biz Loans

Real-estate fallout dries up credit stream

(Newser) - Reeling from real-estate losses, banks are turning off the credit spigot to loan-seeking businesses, the New York Times reports. The loan reduction means more bad news down the line as money-starved companies begin to cut workers. Banks cut credit nearly 3% over the past year, the most since 2001, according...

Investors Fall Out of Love With Banks

Even well-managed regional banks no longer darlings

(Newser) - With the nation's banks under pressure from bad loans, and sources of credit scarce, bank customers aren't panicking, the New York Times notes, but  investors are, fleeing an industry much more accustomed to being a Wall Street darling. Bank shares continued their downward spiral yesterday, with the S&P Regional...

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