tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33310025084932572082012-02-16T03:56:04.109-08:00Credit Tips & Discussions | Credit Markets | High Net Worth LifestylesTim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comBlogger841100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-84212414339419444132010-04-26T07:16:00.000-07:002010-04-26T07:18:36.532-07:00

First-quarter results from the four biggest banks have been upbeat and have given markets confidence that the credit crisis is waning. Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Wells Fargo posted combined profits of $13.4 billion in the three months ended March 31. "This quarter is confirmation that credit has turned a corner," said Charles Peabody, an analyst at Portales Partners.Read More

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-64748716231732830932010-03-11T07:13:00.000-08:002010-03-11T07:15:25.723-08:00

Bank of America, GMAC Financial Services and other companies are selling bonds at a pace that could make this the busiest week so far this year. "It tells us that financial liquidity is very much on the rise," said John Lonski, chief economist at Moody's Investors Service. "No longer do corporations suffer from a dearth of liquidity. This puts them in a better position to take advantage of

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-74185030928735159482010-03-09T06:58:00.000-08:002010-03-09T07:01:04.071-08:00

Wells Fargo Bank has lent $350 million to clean-technology companies under a group it formed to target this sector. Called the National Cleantech Group, the new unit was formed last fall and now has 100 clients, many of them in the solar-energy sector.Read More (bizjournals.com / smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-50627873518329819032010-03-02T07:15:00.000-08:002010-03-02T07:17:50.423-08:00

For the fourth straight month, consumer spending in the U.S. increased. The 0.5% boost in purchases in January exceeded expectations and offered an indication that consumers may help spur the recovery. "I view the consumer as playing a secondary role, not leading the recovery but going along for the ride," said Nigel Gault, chief U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight. "As employment improves then

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-48079751983721853022010-02-19T07:07:00.000-08:002010-02-19T07:10:02.009-08:00

Analysts said a wave of foreclosure on commercial properties likely will hit community banks especially hard. "There's been an enormous bubble in commercial real estate, and it has to come down," said Elizabeth Warren, chairwoman of the Congressional Oversight Panel. "There will be significant bankruptcies among developers and significant failures among community banks."Read More (

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-53874341152665944822010-02-17T07:17:00.000-08:002010-02-17T07:19:44.522-08:00

Columnist Holman W. Jenkins Jr. explains how the thinking about the global financial crisis may be shifting away from blaming the banks. As the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission is poised to consult with academic experts, the panel should revisit the question of whether the banks were insolvent or victims of a liquidity panic, Mr. Jenkins wrote.Read More (wsj.com/ smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-14527974560365924952010-02-17T07:13:00.000-08:002010-02-17T07:15:49.958-08:00

The Treasury Department said loan origination by 11 banks that received money through the Troubled Asset Relief Program increased 13% in December compared with November. The Treasury also said the total loan balance dropped 1% during the month. Bank of America reported the most new loans at $64.6 billion, nearly a third of the total reported by the lenders surveyed.Read More (bloomberg.com /

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-16488919110292244102010-02-15T11:30:00.000-08:002010-02-15T11:32:29.451-08:00

After three years of homeowners' equity contracting in the U.S., the longest ever, the trend has reversed. The Federal Reserve's "flow of funds" survey shows that between the first and third quarters of 2009, homeowners' net equity increased almost $1 trillion.Read More (latimes.com / smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-14921474946645874682010-02-11T07:03:00.000-08:002010-02-11T07:06:13.079-08:00

Comerica, First Horizon and other regional banks are planning to ramp up their lending to small and medium-size businesses. "We are seeing more loans in the pipeline," said Ralph Babb, CEO at Comerica. The banks have been faced with deteriorating credit quality, but as they work through credit issues, they are making more loans. While the process may not be quick enough for the government, the

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-85403706951933039072010-02-04T07:09:00.000-08:002010-02-04T07:11:27.633-08:00

Investors bought $8.8 billion in new leveraged loans last month, compared with $38 billion worth sold last year, according to Standard & Poor's LCD. "The loan market is going to be a central theme of 2010 because it was still largely shut in 2009," said Tim Donahue, JPMorgan Chase's head of leveraged capital markets. "People are starting to look at it again as a source of financing for a variety

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-35680879175700326712010-02-03T07:08:00.000-08:002010-02-03T07:10:59.711-08:00

Mohamed A. El-Erian, CEO of Pacific Investment Management Co., said fragile economic growth and persistent unemployment might cause the stock market decline to worsen. He said investors had incorrectly priced in factors such as stimulus withdrawal and government efforts to restore economic growth. "Investors may well find that January's global equity sell-off was just a precursor to a

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-60323214655765235562010-01-29T07:24:00.000-08:002010-01-29T07:27:02.389-08:00

The U.S. economy appears to be picking up steam faster than many experts had expected. A broad range of Wall Street analysts forecast that the economy grew an annualized 4.6% in the fourth quarter, more than double the third quarter's 2.2%. That would mark the strongest quarterly expansion since 2006. Some estimates run as high as 6% GDP expansion for the quarter.Read More (wsj.com /

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-70961808924192597182010-01-25T07:05:00.000-08:002010-01-25T07:07:51.505-08:00

Throughout history, the ultrawealthy have hired trusted advisers to guide them through the social and psychological problems of wealth–from spoiled children and feckless relatives to philanthropy and lifestyle.John D. Rockefeller had Frederick Gates, who advised him on his charitable giving and family. Cornelius Vanderbilt employed ...Read More (wsj.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-27370480274254131512010-01-21T07:18:00.000-08:002010-01-21T07:20:51.202-08:00

Bank of America, Wells Fargo and other banks reported quarterly earnings results that show losses on consumer loans are beginning to moderate. Bank executives said they expected the turnaround to continue this year, but they cautioned that slow economic growth and high unemployment would continue to pressure consumers. "We are encouraged by signs the economy is improving," said Brian Moynihan,

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-80889791120999540402010-01-15T06:57:00.000-08:002010-01-15T07:01:05.756-08:00

Sallie Krawcheck, president of global wealth and investment management at Bank of America, said there were a few surprises in results of the Merrill Lynch Quarterly Affluent Insights Survey. Ms. Krawcheck said the survey showed that "affluent people are feeling incrementally better" and that they were "thinking about retirement really differently."Read More (cnbc.com / smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-46528924170443470742010-01-14T07:15:00.000-08:002010-01-14T07:17:29.265-08:00

Issues in the commercial real estate market could spell trouble for regional banks as they typically have greater exposure to the market than their larger peers. Losses and reserves related to commercial property loans could spike, hitting the regional banks in an area they once relied on for profits.Read More (wsj.com / smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-76736582196546828972010-01-06T07:13:00.000-08:002010-01-06T07:17:00.977-08:00

For the first time, the percentage of loans delinquent 30 days or more behind commercial mortgage-backed securities surpassed 6%, according to Trepp, a provider of real-estate data. The delinquency rate started 2009 at 1.21%. Increased delinquency was seen for all types of commercial property, including hotels, offices and multifamily structures.Read More (reuters.com / smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-79138703224742409682009-12-23T07:01:00.000-08:002009-12-23T07:03:44.736-08:00

With Standard & Poor's considering downgrading covered bonds, investors' options for triple-A debt are becoming limited to government and quasi-government debt. For many investors, government-related debt is not attractive, particularly as concern mounts about public finances.Read More (nytimes.com / smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-7382263596468401212009-12-16T06:56:00.000-08:002009-12-16T06:57:58.886-08:00

Federal Reserve officials are expected to indicate they are increasingly optimistic about the economy, but that they are not yet ready to tighten monetary policy. The improving economy is increasing expectations among investors that the Fed, which is in the middle of a two-day meeting, will start withdrawing from its stimulus efforts and loose monetary policy.Read More (reuters.com /

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-12700057921211071282009-12-15T07:26:00.000-08:002009-12-15T07:28:45.812-08:00

JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Bank of America are preparing for a return of the market for collateralized debt obligations backed by high-yield loans. When the credit market froze, issuance in the CDO market plunged. "We are actively discussing the market environment with our clients, and think that they are going to be increasingly attracted both to the leveraged-loan asset class and

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-8320508089202362582009-12-10T07:02:00.000-08:002009-12-10T07:04:57.760-08:00

Bill Gross, who runs Pacific Investment Management, said the Federal Reserve would likely maintain ultralow short-term interest rates throughout 2010 as economic growth remained weak. "If they move by even 25 or 50 basis points, the market will interpret that as 200, 300, 400 to come," Mr. Gross said. "And so the Fed is cemented (at ultralow levels) until the economy can stand 'the shock' of

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-58613098532085727122009-12-07T06:53:00.000-08:002009-12-07T06:55:13.084-08:00

Rising profits and inventory drawdowns are convincing some economists that the next few months' employment statistics will show significant improvement in the U.S. job market. The employment gains are being forecast by economists who accurately anticipated the November jump in employment that caught other economists by surprise. The Labor Department has already made upward revisions to its

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-26077787009003378272009-12-03T06:59:00.000-08:002009-12-03T07:03:01.042-08:00

The Spectrem Group's index of affluent investor confidence was at -10 in November, the highest level since February 2008. Although investor sentiment is still below a level deemed bullish, it is entering neutral territory. The index tracks sentiment among Americans with $500,000 or more in assets to invest. Spectrem's index ranges from -100 to +100, with -10 to +10 being neutral territory.Read

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-45545836406592535032009-12-02T06:58:00.000-08:002009-12-02T07:00:30.097-08:00

The government's auctions of warrants it received in exchange for helping Capital One Financial, JPMorgan Chase and TCF Financial through the Troubled Asset Relief Program might result in a $3.17 billion windfall for taxpayers. "This is definitely the best possible outcome for taxpayers," said Linus Wilson, a finance professor at the University of Louisiana. Mr. Wilson provided the estimate after

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-50645534890103621882009-12-01T07:12:00.000-08:002009-12-01T07:14:03.108-08:00

Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News say that manufacturing likely expanded for a fourth straight month in November. Lean inventories and increasing exports may keep the sector growing into next year, leading the economic expansion. Factory production is expected to rise more slowly in the upcoming months because of increasing unemployment. In the third quarter, factory production climbed at its

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-88562197058288278152009-11-25T06:58:00.000-08:002009-11-25T07:01:03.266-08:00

After a three-year slump, there are some signs of improvement in the U.S. residential housing market, with home prices falling 3.8% in the third quarter, the smallest quarterly drop since the beginning of 2008, according to a report from the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which also found that home prices were nearly unchanged between August and September. "Any recovery in housing won't be on

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-25610479442214850692009-11-24T07:11:00.000-08:002009-11-24T07:13:48.734-08:00

The Federal Reserve's loose monetary policy has made it easier for fixed-income buyers to make money during the past year. While the Fed is not expected to quickly tighten policy, asset managers are expecting the climate to become much tougher because markets may have peaked. Portfolio managers are watching the market of Treasuries as a possible trouble spot because it sets benchmark yields for

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-64396847826683986922009-11-20T07:44:00.000-08:002009-11-20T07:47:42.944-08:00

The Treasury Department plans to auction off its remaining investments in JPMorgan Chase, Capital One Financial and TCF Financial. The auction would release all three from the Troubled Asset Relief Program. The sales could raise as much as $3.1 billion.Read More (nytimes.com / smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-8870770921261580922009-11-19T07:37:00.000-08:002009-11-19T07:39:42.480-08:00

Government sources said the Obama administration is interested in extending the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, but it is struggling with how to announce such an initiative. The plan is to use about $200 billion in leftover funds to pay down the national debt, the sources said. Officials are concerned that lawmakers will try to use the money to fund their own projects.Read More (

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-14696975340997562902009-11-17T06:57:00.000-08:002009-11-17T07:00:38.975-08:00

The price of gold hit a record $1,139 per ounce Monday, and analysts said a run on the precious metal might not be over. To find a ceiling for gold, one has to look at the adjustment for inflation. On Jan. 21, 1980, gold hit a record $825.50 per ounce. Adjusting for inflation, that equals $2,163.62 an ounce today. The price increase is because investors "are becoming increasingly uncomfortable

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-56615883151563358952009-11-13T08:19:00.000-08:002009-11-17T07:01:32.130-08:00

The 30-year mortgage rate hit an average of 4.91% for the week ended Nov. 12, according to the weekly survey by Freddie Mac. It was the lowest level the rate had seen in five weeks, down from 4.98% in the previous week, and from 6.14% the same week in the previous year. "Mortgage rates eased further over the week, helping to promote an affordable home-purchase market and stimulate refinance,"

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-23439492893332889582009-11-12T07:55:00.000-08:002009-11-12T08:00:22.639-08:00

An increasing number of banks are succeeding at selling off distressed parts of their loan portfolios, analysts said. Marshall & Ilsley sold nearly $500 million of its distressed-loan portfolio during the first nine months of 2009. Synovus Financial sold off $339 million in distressed real estate development loans and mortgages in the third quarter. "You are seeing a lot more lenders thinking

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-59585198808012376542009-11-11T11:44:00.000-08:002009-11-11T11:52:26.912-08:00

Regulators have issued new rules that allow banks to reclassify parts of their now distressed commercial-mortgage portfolios, and banks are rapidly putting those rule to work, sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday. For the $800 billion in commercial real estate loans outstanding, about two-thirds show a value for the property that is below that of the value for the loan. Up to $130

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-8195659598323501952009-05-18T07:50:00.000-07:002009-05-18T07:53:50.281-07:00

Investment bank Sandler O'Neill & Partners used the government's stress-test criteria on thousands of banks that were not involved in the first round. After the 19 largest banks, the next 200 have a combined common equity shortfall of roughly $16.2 billion, the firm found. The remaining 7,700 banks have a capital deficit of about $7.8 billion.Read More (ft.com / smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-81495031971051021732009-05-11T07:58:00.000-07:002009-05-11T08:01:37.233-07:00

In February, the Obama administration announced that stress tests of the nation's 19 largest banks would be conducted, a move that was met with cynicism by investors, bank executives and other market participants. Now that the results have been publicly disclosed -- a move that was also debated among regulators, bankers and government officials -- markets are rebounding and the tests are seen as

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-45360991725301242512009-05-08T07:48:00.000-07:002009-05-08T07:50:28.868-07:00

After the disclosure of the government's stress-test results, several large banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, said they are poised to repay the funds they received through the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Goldman said it is "highly confident that we will soon repay the government's investment from the TARP's Capital Purchase Program."Read More (reuters.com /

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-80471582498070505372009-05-07T07:44:00.000-07:002009-05-07T07:45:58.425-07:00

The Federal Reserve directed at least seven of the nation's biggest banks to bolster their capital levels by $65 billion while effectively blessing the stability of six others, marking for the first time a bold line between some of the nation's stronger and weaker banks.Read More (wsj.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-82213875602213261652009-05-07T07:39:00.000-07:002009-05-07T07:42:34.378-07:00

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said disclosure of the government's stress tests of the nation's 19 largest banks offered a "reassuring" view of the banking sector. Banks that do need more money will be expected to raise it primarily from private sources. "That's the real stress in the stress test: Has the economy recovered enough and are the institutions strong enough to raise the capital

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-80190218634317220172009-05-06T08:07:00.000-07:002009-05-06T08:10:40.414-07:00

Through the government's stress tests, regulators determined that JPMorgan Chase does not need additional capital, Citigroup needs some capital and Bank of America has the largest need: $34 billion or more in fresh capital, a source said. After the Federal Reserve publicly discloses the stress-test findings on Thursday, the banks are expected to outline their capital-raising strategies. "To the

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-52387279726884326212009-05-04T07:37:00.000-07:002009-05-04T07:39:34.601-07:00

Companies have long used revolving lines of credit to avoid liquidity issues, but now banks are shortening the terms and charging higher fees for the credit lines. Typically the revolvers run for three or five years, but banks are reducing many of them to less than a year. Additionally, they are charging an interest rate based not only on the company's credit rating, but also on the cost of

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-88886082893624541592009-05-02T09:49:00.000-07:002009-05-02T17:38:13.303-07:00

A new study by The Phoenix Companies, a financial-products firm, found that 40% of high-net worth investors said that “the risk of outliving my assets” is a concern, up from 33% just two years ago. (They define HNW investors as those with a net worth of $1 million, not including the value of their primary home). It said a third of high-net-worth investors said they will have to “make up for lost

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-21440087740353133262009-05-01T08:13:00.000-07:002009-05-01T08:15:25.511-07:00

Federal Reserve officials hope that altering terms in the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility will reignite the market of commercial real estate, sources said. TALF offers investors low-cost, three-year loans to invest in securities backed by auto loans, credit card debt and other consumer debt. The Fed is preparing to expand the program to include five-year loans.Read More (wsj.com /

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-17557329287522268402009-04-30T10:40:00.000-07:002009-04-30T10:42:39.912-07:00

Commercial real estate defaults are emerging as the next chapter of the financial crisis. Some estimates are predicting that as many as two out of every three commercial mortgages will fail to live up to the original loan terms. "It's the next wave to hit. It's the next round of bad news," said Scott Talbott, senior vice president of government affairs for the Financial Services Roundtable.Read

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-67662026047707273422009-04-29T09:44:00.000-07:002009-04-29T09:46:37.590-07:00

Preliminary results of the government's stress tests of the nation's 19 largest banks indicate that at least six of the financial institutions are in need of additional capital, sources said. The banks are expected to convert preferred shares into common stock, although some of the capital may come from government injections. Citigroup, Bank of America and other banks deemed to be in need of

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-26941396525242817802009-04-28T12:11:00.000-07:002009-04-28T12:13:46.445-07:00

Sheila Bair, chairwoman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., says the concept of financial institutions that are "too big to fail" should be thrown out and that her agency should be given the authority to close "systemically important" financial institutions. "Given our many years of experience resolving banks and closing them, we're well-suited to run a new resolution program," she said.Read

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-42901683145715413382009-04-27T10:14:00.000-07:002009-04-27T10:16:22.693-07:00

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke has used a variety of tools to repair the global credit markets, and those efforts are starting to pay off. For example, companies have sold a record $468 billion in bonds in the U.S. in 2009, and investor confidence is starting to return. "Every place where the Fed has acted aggressively, we've seen a meaningful improvement," said Laurence Meyer, a former

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-74560374110576585772009-04-24T09:33:00.000-07:002009-04-24T09:35:32.016-07:00

The new capital-reserve standards for the nation's 19 largest banks could force sales of ownership stakes to the government, sources said. Federal regulators used the tougher standard in the banks' stress tests to determine whether they could survive substantial losses. "I don't think there's any doubt that there's a consensus that the quality of capital needs to be improved in terms of having

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-52946026998361012632009-04-24T09:29:00.000-07:002009-04-24T09:32:37.254-07:00

Wells Fargo has more advisers than the combined operations of Bank of America and Merrill Lynch, according to this article. Bank of America cut about 2,000 positions in the first quarter, bringing it to 15,822 advisers. In a report released Thursday, Wells Fargo said it had 15,879 financial advisers.Read More (investmentnews.com / smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-21629231745213589322009-04-23T10:52:00.000-07:002009-04-23T10:59:41.142-07:00

Although the nation's largest banks could face substantial additional losses, recently disclosed details of the stress tests do not surprise bank executives, analysts and other Wall Street insiders. On Friday, regulatory officials are expected to reveal preliminary results to the banks' executives, then disclose the findings to the public next week. After details of the stress-test criteria were

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-19021565603562006422009-04-17T10:16:00.000-07:002009-04-17T10:19:30.674-07:00

Investors who buy asset-backed securities using the government's Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility are offered three-year loans. Officials at the Federal Reserve are considering offering investors who use the facility to buy commercial real estate securities loans of as long as five years. While Fed officials want to entice and accommodate investors, they do not want to undermine their

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-52305477997283839192009-04-16T09:37:00.000-07:002009-04-16T09:39:58.288-07:00

Before releasing results of "stress tests" of the nation's 19 largest banks, regulators will publish a paper on how the tests were carried out. "The more markers or signposts you can put on the path, the more helpful it will be," said R. Scott Siefers, managing director at Sandler O'Neill & Partners. "There are a lot of questions in investors' minds."Read More (bloomberg.com / smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-86049548036879200312009-04-15T11:24:00.000-07:002009-04-15T11:26:44.010-07:00

The Federal Reserve is taking a hard look at steps to boost transparency for its emergency-lending programs that aim to restore liquidity to the U.S. financial system, including regular news conferences and disclosure of collateral being held, sources said. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke asked Vice Chairman Donald Kohn to head a committee responsible for evaluating ways to make the central bank's

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-65199300205656874112009-04-13T09:22:00.000-07:002009-04-13T09:25:24.301-07:00

Commercial loans make up more than half of many regional banks' loan portfolios. As the recession drags on, commercial loans are expected to be at a greater risk for deteriorating than other types of loans. In a recent note, Standard & Poor's Equity Research analyst Erik Oja said he was "increasingly concerned about commercial lending exposure at regional banks" as "we think commercial lending

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-24060342505647577222009-04-11T11:01:00.000-07:002009-04-11T11:07:39.639-07:00

The crash of the financial system has laid bare many unpleasant truths about the United States. One of the most alarming, says a former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, is that the finance industry has effectively captured our government—a state of affairs that more typically describes emerging markets, and is at the center of many emerging-market crises. If the IMF’s staff

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-14599136164560011012009-04-10T11:04:00.000-07:002009-04-10T11:20:43.129-07:00

You’ve worked much too hard to have your spring break ruined by a bunch of kids who aren't your own. The thousands of spring breakers and their teen dramas, drunkfests and wet t-shirt contests fly south for the winter right when you are getting sick of the sleet and snow. But from early March to mid-April, just steer clear of go-to Spring Break spots like these: South Padre Island; Negril,

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-85026779252737794162009-04-09T09:17:00.000-07:002009-04-09T09:21:41.965-07:00

Federal examiners who have been laboring inside the largest banks in the U.S. for the past eight weeks are finding that the banking industry in general appears to be healthier than many think. While all of the banks undergoing "stress tests" will pass, many will likely need more capital either from private investors or taxpayers, regulators said. The stress tests, which must legally be conducted

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-71291850807541699592009-04-08T19:30:00.000-07:002009-04-08T19:33:34.401-07:00

The $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program has produced some positive results, but taxpayers still face substantial risks, the Congressional Oversight Panel said. "We have moved from an acute crisis of confidence in the financial markets and financial institutions as a whole to an apparently prolonged period of weakness in financial institutions and in the credit structures that directly

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-56629225728186135672009-04-07T13:41:00.000-07:002009-04-07T13:44:02.049-07:00

The Federal Reserve's Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility has attracted only two issuers as the deadline nears, suggesting that investors are still concerned about participating in the program. The lack of participation could undermine efforts to shore up banks' balance sheets. Although the Fed's financing terms are attractive, the program presents challenges and issues, including concerns

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-4815753864472173432009-04-06T14:50:00.000-07:002009-04-06T15:33:09.018-07:00

What should a lender be looking for when a business or an individual requests a loan? The simple answer: The ability to repay the loan. One way lenders analyze a loan is to examine the five C’s of credit: capacity, capital, collateral, conditions, and character. Keep in mind that in evaluating the five C’s of credit, a lender should not give equal weight to each area. For instance, one weak

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-74636052156532793762009-04-05T14:17:00.000-07:002009-04-05T14:22:21.821-07:00

Electronics company MBL, based in Lake Forest, Calif., has created the 101X-Treme speaker, a new system using pulsating spheres that radiate equal amounts of energy at all frequencies through a 360-degree sound field, producing the exact same signal whether you are sitting in front, behind, or alongside. Sound complicated? MBL vice president David Alexander says, “It just energizes an entire room

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-48119686858514252372009-04-04T16:44:00.000-07:002009-04-04T16:49:25.395-07:00

Buying a yacht is a process that can take days, months, or even years. There are countless new and brokerage models available, some built on a production scale and others custom designed. You can pay hundreds of thousands or tens of millions of dollars depending on the quality, size and personalization you desire.Whether you are considering a motoryacht or a sailing yacht, there are four basic

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-19614736746106106192009-04-04T13:55:00.000-07:002009-04-04T13:57:05.649-07:00

Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase and other financial institutions that received taxpayer money are looking into purchasing their competitors' troubled assets through the Treasury's latest plan. The concept is highly controversial because the program is intended to rid banks of troubled loans and securities rather than acquire them, critics said. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala.

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-60885509541735557902009-04-04T13:26:00.000-07:002009-04-04T13:29:33.868-07:00

None of the 16 primary dealers that trade directly with the Federal Reserve tapped its Term Securities Lending Facility when the Fed offered $25 billion in its auction Thursday. The lack of interest indicates that credit markets are continuing to thaw. It is generally "a good sign when the Fed's emergency facilities run off due to a lack of market demand," said Louis Crandall, chief economist at

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-42056725364975760212009-04-02T11:15:00.000-07:002009-04-02T11:16:57.819-07:00

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. raised fees on bank debt it guarantees to wean institutions from the program. The higher fees are not expected to immediately scare banks from using the FDIC's Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program. "Until banks can issue unsecured debt on a regular basis without the FDIC guarantee, the program will remain an important part of their overall funding plans," said

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-22778183920382181472009-04-01T16:09:00.000-07:002009-04-01T16:11:34.383-07:00

President Barack Obama and U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown joined other Group of 20 nations in calling for coordinated efforts to overhaul regulation of the financial system. "All of us here in London have a responsibility to act with a sense of urgency," Mr. Obama said, while acknowledging that leaders are "not going to agree on every point."Read More (wsj.com / smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-35120336876027768942009-04-01T09:46:00.000-07:002009-04-01T09:51:41.032-07:00

Signature Bank of New York, Indiana's Old National Bancorp, Louisiana's IberiaBank and California's Bank of Marin were the first to repay the Treasury for the government's emergency assistance. Signature Bank of New York, which returned $120 million, said it wants to avoid restrictions that might prevent it from retaining top employees. "The return of these funds allows us to continue to execute

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-43359804996925928112009-03-31T09:51:00.000-07:002009-03-31T09:53:40.992-07:00

The Federal Reserve is taking the lead on banks' stress tests and in determining how much new capital each bank needs to weather the downturn, sources said. The move might help ease concerns that different agencies would provide different assessments. Fed examiners and counterparts from other regulatory agencies are deployed on the stress tests. "You could argue this is a systemic-risk issue, and

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-224874663372433342009-03-30T09:53:00.000-07:002009-03-30T09:56:00.092-07:00

Smaller cities may be faring better than bigger cities and rural towns in the recession, as evidenced by an increase in consumer lending activity. Borrowing in Huntsville, Ala., for example, increased 13.2% per household in the fourth quarter. Many "midsize metros in the country's midsection should come out of this all right," said Steve Cochrane, managing director of Moody's Economy.com.Read

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-45402077117193187952009-03-26T20:07:00.000-07:002009-03-26T20:10:14.083-07:00

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is expected to seek changes in the way the government supervises risk-taking by large companies as well as tougher controls on money-market mutual funds and hedge funds. At a congressional hearing, Mr. Geithner is expected to roll out the next piece of his plan for stabilizing the economy, including changes to contain systemic risks.Read More (nytimes.com /

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-47078698271219118142009-03-25T13:58:00.000-07:002009-03-25T14:02:24.265-07:00

The Financial Services Roundtable on Tuesday announced its in-depth analysis of Treasury's Second Monthly Bank Lending Survey of the Capital Purchase Program, showing that lending rose 14% in January. Without the mergers of Wells Fargo and PNC with Wachovia and City National, respectively, first mortgage originations increased from $38 billion in December to $52 billion in January, an increase of

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-2384497218985223272009-03-25T13:41:00.000-07:002009-03-25T13:44:09.257-07:00

The U.S. Treasury's plan for removing troubled assets from the balance sheets of banks will likely force those institutions, including Bank of America, Citigroup and Wells Fargo, to take substantial write-downs, analysts and executives said. The losses might force the banks to raise additional capital from investors or taxpayers. "The unspoken fear here is that selling off loan portfolios would

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-84331452238822252852009-03-25T13:05:00.000-07:002009-03-25T13:15:31.577-07:00

Meredith Whitney, a banking industry analyst who predicted Citigroup's troubles, said the massive bank model is near an end. Speaking at the Future of Finance Initiative, Ms. Whitney said developing larger regional banks would be a better approach.Read More (wsj.com / smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-10122452002941509062009-03-24T14:15:00.000-07:002009-03-24T14:19:15.390-07:00

To prevent a future financial crisis, the government should implement "better-designed constraints on leverage for the institutions critical to the stability of the financial system," Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said. However, he said, reforms should not hinder the capacity for innovation and should preserve the strengths of financial markets.Read More (wsj.com/smartbreif.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-27960912605179981762009-03-23T09:50:00.000-07:002009-03-23T09:54:04.137-07:00

The U.S. Treasury Department unveiled its plan to deal with the toxic assets weighing on banks' balance sheets Monday, acknowledging that the financial system continues to face "acute pressure" and is working against economic recovery.Read More (wsj.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-42640967915912434232009-03-22T13:20:00.000-07:002009-03-22T13:35:33.087-07:00

Only a few years ago, a Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda convertible—1 of 11 built in 1971—caused a furor when it sold for $2 million. Even in a heated automotive market driven by nostalgic baby boomers, no one had ever paid that much for a muscle car. The record-breaking sale firmly established the handsome Hemi ’Cuda as the category’s ultra model; the ever-rising values of coupes and convertibles from 1970

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-48897558824270848202009-03-20T22:00:00.000-07:002009-03-20T22:03:34.650-07:00

It's been a rough year for the world's wealthy. If it wasn't the collapsing real estate market, it was plummeting oil and gas. If it wasn't protectionist trade policies, it was a volatile foreign exchange market. And then there's a certain high-profile Ponzi schemer who allegedly bilked his fair share of billionaires, including Hollywood mogul Steven Spielberg. What's a billionaire to do?Read

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-59541264465457697062009-03-19T11:43:00.000-07:002009-03-19T11:46:35.976-07:00

The Obama administration is considering using the Federal Reserve's Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility to take distressed assets off banks' balance sheets, sources said. The change might also mean a larger role for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is expected to be planning approaches to help cleanse the balance sheets of troubled banks. His next

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-66073343093650303282009-03-17T11:04:00.000-07:002009-03-17T11:12:01.770-07:00

Capital One Financial surprised analysts by saying the percentage of uncollectible auto loans fell to 4.44% in February, down from 6.09% a month earlier. "Broadly speaking, February managed-basis results show credit deterioration leveling off," analyst Bill Carcache of Fox-Pitt Kelton Cochran Caronia Waller wrote in a research note. Capital One did say, however, that the ratio of uncollectible

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-62546436425990642162009-03-17T10:58:00.000-07:002009-03-17T11:10:09.715-07:00

Federal Reserve policymakers might need to accelerate their purchases of assets, including mortgage securities, as the job market and economy continue to decline. Fed watchers are concerned that the central bank's balance sheet has fallen 17% since its peak in December. "It takes massive balance-sheet expansion to generate significant easing in financial conditions. More needs to be done," said

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-26752591626135297042009-03-16T11:52:00.000-07:002009-03-16T12:02:40.903-07:00

As most golfers know, getting a tee time at the renowned Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland, can be an exercise in patience. Even those who have made the trip to the course and wait in the lottery line to receive a possible playing time are often disappointed to learn that the course is completely booked. In honor of Homecoming Scotland 2009, a series of events and celebrations throughout the

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-83764473312537287462009-03-16T11:28:00.000-07:002009-03-16T12:04:20.968-07:00

The Obama administration's plan to purchase toxic assets from the banks in a public/private partnership could be made public as soon as this week, according to senior administration officials.Read More (CNBC.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-58069079926621487952009-03-11T09:35:00.000-07:002009-03-19T12:17:15.061-07:00

Banks in the United States face a new source of write-downs and failures in the coming year, as loans made to developers to finance residential and commercial property development rapidly go bad.Read More (iht.com/smartbrief.com)

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-67650290332813461582009-03-04T12:45:00.000-08:002009-03-17T11:13:09.315-07:00

The Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve have launched a program that aims to boost lending to businesses and consumers. In mid-March, hedge funds, private-equity firms and other large investors will be able to obtain credit inexpensively from the Fed. The government wants investors to use the money to purchase securities backed by new consumer and business loans.Read More (

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3331002508493257208.post-42905404674866003442009-03-03T19:36:00.000-08:002009-03-16T12:05:39.061-07:00

The U.S. launched a program to finance up to $1 trillion in new lending to consumers and businesses, in an ambitious attempt to jump-start credit for everything from car loans to equipment leases.The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department hope to revive the moribund market for so-called securitized lending, which until last year was central to providing consumer and business loans. Starting

Tim Hoskinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230182104160004763noreply@blogger.com0