BankThink

Does Citi's CEO Know What He's Talking About?

08/24/12

Vikram Pandit's recent comments about Citi's size may provide insight into why this once-proud institution now limps along as one of the weakest of the bailed out, Too Big to Behave Banks.

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Lessons from SEC Money Funds Standoff: If You Want Something Done, Don't Show Congress Reports About It

08/24/12

Receiving Wide Coverage ...

SEC Problems: More information is emerging on why Democratic commissioner Luis A. Aguilar decided to vote against Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro's plan to regulate money market mutual funds. Apparently, Aguilar "didn't appreciate" Schapiro's move to show Congress a report on the risks of money funds he viewed as misleading. The Journal reports Aguilar was already on the fence about the new proposal when news of the report's circulation was...

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For Small Banks, Connecting with Communities Is Crucial

08/24/12

Sponsor town festivals, youth sports and local families in need or volunteer at local charities or for community projects.

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It's Time to Focus on Ethical Blind Spots

08/23/12

Ethics plays a significant role in a company's overall value and performance. CEOs and CFOs should be working to protect their businesses - and themselves - from violations.

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Greed, Not Government, Led Housing Market to Ruin

08/23/12

The sad reality is that an unregulated shadow financial system pushed explosive subprime loans.

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Citi to SEC: 'Tell Nasdaq to Give Back More of the Money We Lost During Facebook IPO Debacle'

08/23/12

Receiving Wide Coverage ... Citi Blasts Nasdaq About (Not Via) Facebook: Citi is so displeased with Nasdaq's plans for making up for losses caused by the fumbling of Facebook's initial public offering, it sent the Securities and Exchange Commission a 17-page letter about it. According to the Journal, Citi told the SEC Nadsaq's proposed $62 million compensation plan would cover "only a very small fraction" of its total losses. The bank is estimated to...

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Forget Swipe Fees, Credit Card Issuers Are Losing the Payments War

08/23/12

If the networks don't voluntarily implement more reasonable pricing, merchants will steer consumers to cheaper alternatives and there will soon be nothing left to fight about.

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How to Simplify the Volcker Rule

08/22/12

It's foolhardy to try to read traders' minds to determine if the inventory they are keeping exceeds the demand they expect from clients. There is a better way.

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Why Allow Only Banks to Issue Credit Cards?

08/22/12

Qualified nonbanks should be able to issue credit cards. This has only rarely been possible up to now - a situation that has warped the industry's structure, giving banks undeserved dominance.

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As Soon as One Probe Closes, Another Opens: Regions, RBS Under New Scrutiny

08/22/12

Receiving Wide Coverage ... Here a Probe, There a Probe: Two more banks have joined the ranks of financial institutions under investigation this summer for questionable behavior. According to the Journal, a federal grand jury is looking into the very close ties Regions Financial may have had with executive recruiting firm Fiderion Group LLC and its CEO James Norton III. Prosecutors have asked the bank to turn over information on "any gifts, trips or vacations" Fiderion...

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