BankThink

Creating a 'Win-Win' in M&A, Part IV: BB&T's Strategy for Buying Nonbanks

11/14/14

Nonbank acquisitions require a certain level of expertise, John Allison writes in his new book. In this excerpt, he discusses how BB&T views the insurance business and why he stuck with subprime auto finance when others bailed. Part 4 of 5.

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GSEs' Risk-Sharing Deals Are Good for the Housing Market

11/14/14

Fannie Mae has entered into deals with JPMorgan Chase and other companies that transfer some of the credit-loss risk on mortgage-backed securities to investors. Not only do these deals reduce the danger that taxpayers could be forced to cover the GSEs' losses, they may help make mortgages more affordable.

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Morning Scan: Ocwen, Wells Fargo Scrap Deal; De-Risking as 'Fig Leaf' for Banks

11/14/14

Receiving Wide Coverage ...

The Rate Hike Waiting Game: The Federal Reserve may push its timeline for raising interest rates back from mid-2015 if wage growth fails to improve, according to articles in both the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. The fact that more people are quitting their jobs suggests the labor market may be tightening, according to the Journal, but there are other signs that strong pay increases may be a ways...

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Fix the Female Executive Shortage with Data, Dialogue, and Janet Yellen

11/13/14

Transparency about the diversity of companiesÂ' workforces can promote the hiring and advancement of women, while role models like Janet Yellen help pave the way for more female leaders.

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Creating A 'Win-Win' in M&A, Part III: BB&T Alum John Allison on Selling A Deal

11/13/14

BB&T successfully bought a number of thrifts in the aftermath of the S&L crisis. Retired BB&T CEO John Allison explains his companyÂ's success while discussing how he sold deals to leaders of target institutions. Part 3 of 5.

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What Republicans' Election Win Means for Housing Reform

11/13/14

Republicans are unlikely to push the ball forward on reform of the federal housing agencies, but Congress has a number of other opportunities to make changes that will encourage mortgage lending.

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Morning Scan: Banks' Consumer Debt Reporting Probed; Were Forex Deals Too Soft?

11/13/14

Receiving Wide Coverage ...

Regulators' Weak Sauce: U.S. and foreign regulators fined six big banks a cumulative $4.3 billion Wednesday in a round of settlements charging them with conspiring to manipulate the foreign exchange market, and the peanut gallery is unimpressed. The Financial Times points out the fines "are less stunning than the scale of the conspiracy against the banks' customers and the catastrophic failure of oversight on the part of bank executives." Bank executives and...

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Too Big to Serve the Working Class

11/12/14

A growing number of Americans frequent payday lenders, check cashers and other firms outside the financial mainstream, and with good reason: they cannot get reliable and affordable service from the country's biggest banks.

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Creating A 'Win-Win' in M&A, Part II: BB&T's Approach to Negotiation, Integration

11/12/14

Retired BB&T CEO John A. Allison shares tips on brokering a deal and making an acquisition thrive in his latest book. This is part 2 of 5.

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Foreign Banks Tangled Up in Volcker Rule

11/12/14

Many foreign banks are confused about how the Volcker Rule applies to them and whether they are required to establish compliance programs for it in the first place.

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