Banking

Taking a second look at those who were denied credit is very costly for lenders under the FHA's antiquated rules, writes the Chairman of Whalen Global Advisors.

First Republic Bank is exploring divesting $50 billion to $100 billion of long-dated securities and mortgages as part of a broader rescue plan, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The San Francisco bank, on shaky ground after two regional peers failed last month, said that customers pulled more than 40% of their deposits last quarter. It's been forced to turn to more expensive sources of funding, which analysts said will squeeze its profitability.

Letting consumers share their VantageScore data with crypto lenders is expected to help them get a better deal on crypto loans. 

The Charlotte, North Carolina, company plans to fold the online consumer lending platform LightStream into its broader consumer business. On top of a recent pullback in bond trading, it may also make further reductions in its mortgage business and occupied real estate.

Executives at the Minneapolis bank responded to a research report that highlighted the decline in a key capital ratio after an acquisition last year. They don't plan to raise capital but aim to generate more of it from earnings in coming quarters.

The Phoenix bank provided behind-the-scenes details of the fallout from March's banking crisis, when it lost $8 billion of deposits in a single day. The company's share price closed up 24% on Wednesday after executives vowed to reassess its capital and liquidity strategy.

Headcount at the nation's second-largest bank has fallen by around 1,000 since the end of last month. More job reductions are in the works after noninterest expenses rose by 6% during the first quarter.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said it will propose a special assessment to cover losses from Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in May, and noted that bank deposit outflows are largely uninsured.

The firm reported $13.3 billion in NII in the first three months of the year, up 45% from a year earlier and more than the 42% jump analysts expected. That gain helped counter a surge in provisions for souring loans.

William Demchak of PNC, Brian Moynihan of Bank of America and William Rogers of Truist had their total compensation reduced last year, as stock prices across the industry fell. The previous year, pay for bank chief executives had soared by more than 20%.

With the acquisition, the Lake City, Florida-based community bank will nab a consumer-direct platform and expand its footprint in the Midwest.

Kyle Bass's expectation of more pain in the office market reflects a more widespread view that the pandemic has driven a semi-permanent shift toward remote and hybrid work that imperils lower quality buildings.

The decrease in long-term interest rates this year has helped banks' bond portfolios recover a bit. Some of them may consider restructuring their securities portfolios in the short run, and longer-term changes are also possible as the fallout from last month's crisis continues.

The American Bankers Association's latest Credit Conditions Index points to a drop in lending and a rise in loan delinquencies through the second and third quarters.

IntraFi, R&T Deposit Solutions and other companies help banks capture and insure the entirety of their customers' balances — a cogent need in the aftermath of SVB.

But overall availability still remained near a 10-year low in March, with government-backed products falling for the third time in four months, the Mortgage Bankers Association found.

Rising vacancy levels, soaring interest rates and weaknesses exposed by recent bank failures have analysts and investors worried about banks' outsized exposure to high-rise office, apartment and retail properties.

Two years ago, the parent company of Silicon Valley Bank promised $11.2 billion in community development support. Activists want First Citizens, which acquired much of the failed bank, to fulfill the commitment.