BankThink

Morning Scan: Dodd-Frank Turns Four; Subprime Auto Loans Boom

07/21/14

Wall Street Journal

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman isn't alone in his concerns about Barclays' dark pool activities. Trading firms including RBC Capital Markets and T. Rowe Price Group worried in the months before Schneiderman sued Barclays that their orders were getting subpar treatment on the dark pool because of high-frequency traders. What's more, "a number of Barclays employees privately expressed concerns to top stock-trading executives that the firm was giving high-frequency traders too much...

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DOJ Memo Leaves No Doubt About Choke Point's Motives

07/18/14

Internal documents reveal that the crackdown is targeting banks, not merchants and processors, because it requires less investigation into the facts. That should anger all Americans who care about due process and the rule of law, writes ex-FDIC Chairman Bill Isaac.

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Morning Scan: Lawsky's BitLicense; UK Banking Inquiry; Morgan Stanley Stability

07/18/14

Receiving Wide Coverage ... Return to Stability: Gains in wealth management and investment banking helped Morgan Stanley nearly double its profit in the second quarter. The papers played up how the bank has focused on stable businesses while relying less on fixed income. The Wall Street Journal said Morgan Stanley has largely shrugged off" bond trading declines that have hurt other firms. The New York Times said the bank has proved skeptics wrong that it couldÂ...

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New Frontiers in Foreclosing on Banks

07/17/14

Trust-preferred creditors have forced two indebted bank holding companies into involuntary bankruptcy this summer. Secured lenders may soon follow their lead and start foreclosing on bank stock collateral.

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The Most Important FHLB Reform Has Already Happened

07/17/14

A recent article by Thad Woodard proposed slashing the number of Federal Home Loan Banks in order to free up funds for community lending. But the Home Loan Banks' member institutions are already empowered to push for consolidation any time they choose, writes the FHLBanks' Steven F. Rosenbaum.

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Morning Scan: B of A, DOJ Battle on Settlement; Fed Pressured to Raise Rates

07/17/14

Receiving Wide Coverage ...

Deal or No Deal: Bank of America and the Justice Department are at odds over how much the Charlotte, N.C., bank should pay to settle charges that it sold shoddy mortgage-backed securities in the run-up to the financial crisis. According to the Wall Street Journal, DOJ lawyers rebuffed B of A's offer to pay $13 billion in cash and consumer relief in a Tuesday meeting. The Financial Times' sources say Bank of...

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The Next Big Thing in Banking Will Be a Firm We've Never Heard Of

07/16/14

Startups that focus on person-to-person payments or peer-to-peer lending may well be the future heavyweights of the financial services industry. Banks must either band together to create viable alternatives or risk losing relevance.

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How Smaller Banks Can Avoid Volcker Rule Headaches

07/16/14

Even activities permitted under the Volcker Rule may not be worth the legal and compliance costs for small and mid-sized banks, according to three attorneys at Bass, Berry & Sims.

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Morning Scan: Yellen Links Jobs, Rates; B of A to Improve Junior Staffer Conditions

07/16/14

Breaking News This Morning ...

Earnings: Bank of America, PNC, US Bancorp Receiving Wide Coverage ...

Yellen Ties Labor Market, Rate Hikes: Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen told the Senate Banking Committee the improving employment picture could lead to interest rate hikes. The Washington Post led with her views on the labor market, although it also mentioned the Fed's plans to continue to cut back on its bond purchases and how that affects interest rates and the...

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How Banks Can Prime Themselves for Digital Transformation

07/15/14

Banks that want to stay ahead of the digital curve should consider hub-and-spoke branch models, products that blend digital and physical services and innovation labs that allow creative thinkers to experiment Â-- and even to fail.

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