banking industry

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Prof Does Math, Finds Banking System 'Insolvent'

(Newser) - A New York University professor who predicted the current economic crisis warns that losses at US banks could climb to $3.6 trillion, leaving the whole system essentially bankrupt, Bloomberg reports. Economist Nouriel Roubini argues that since the system has a base capitalization of just $1.4 trillion, if losses...

Obama Has Rare Chance to Push Agenda With Recovery
Obama Has Rare Chance to Push Agenda With Recovery
ANALYSIS

Obama Has Rare Chance to Push Agenda With Recovery

Riding a wave of popularity, the president-elect hopes to act quickly on economy

(Newser) - If there's a silver lining to the profound economic crisis President-elect Barack Obama is stepping into, the New York Times reports, it's that the recovery plan that's taking shape under his direction affords him an unprecedented chance to address his most ambitious campaign promises right out of the blocks. Riding...

UK Rolls Out Another Bank Bailout, Tightens Controls

New package increase its control over banks, insures troubled assests

(Newser) - The British government today rolled out a new bank rescue plan that includes $147 billion to insure troubled mortgage assets, reports the New York Times. It also offers an additional $73.5 billion to the Bank of England to buy up struggling banks’ “high-quality assets” to insure credit lines...

Will US Nationalize Banks?
 Will US 
 Nationalize 
 Banks? 
ANALYSIS

Will US Nationalize Banks?

As red ink continues to flow, more experts say some nationalization is likely

(Newser) - With US banks likely to need as much as $2 trillion in capital in coming months, more experts are seeing semi-nationalization as a distinct possibility, writes Reuters reporter Dan Wilchins. The government already is using its $700 billion bailout to put pressure on banks. The Obama administration is on record...

Feds to Give BoA Billions More for Merrill Deal

(Newser) - The feds will have to pony up billions of dollars more to help Bank of America close its deal to purchase Merrill Lynch, the Wall Street Journal reports. BoA already has received $25 billion, but Merrill's massive fourth-quarter losses have thrown a wrench in the acquisition. Henry Paulson is a...

Lawyers Are Big Winners in Bailout
Lawyers Are
Big Winners
in Bailout

Lawyers Are Big Winners in Bailout

Veterans of S&L bailouts in catbird seat in current crisis

(Newser) - For a tight-knit group of former top government officials, the current financial crisis is a golden opportunity. Veterans of the savings and loan bailout of the 1990s, these operatives, now mostly lawyers and bank advisers, are doing a brisk business telling clients how to profit from the meltdown, the New ...

Fed Hangs Recovery Hopes on Nothing
Fed Hangs Recovery Hopes on Nothing
ANALYSIS

Fed Hangs Recovery Hopes on Nothing

Cutting benchmark rate to zero points up risks of plenty of nothing

(Newser) - Nada. Naught. Zip. Zero, as in the 0% interest the Federal Reserve is asking banks to pay—or, rather, not pay—for short-term loans. What does getting zero back for loaning money mean, wonders Paul Farhi of the Washington Post. "The strategy is to hose down America's sclerotic financial...

Credit Suisse Cuts 5,300 Jobs, 11% of Workforce

Investment banking unit takes major hit as bank joins rush to cut expenses

(Newser) - Switzerland’s second largest bank, Credit Suisse, is slashing 5,300 jobs—11% of its global workforce—after posting a $2.48 billion loss in the first two months of this quarter, reports the Wall Street Journal. Most of the cuts will come from its moribund investment banking unit as...

Morgan Stanley Eyes Smaller Fish to Boost Banking Cred

After converting from investment bank, company targets growth in deposits

(Newser) - Just months after converting from an investment firm into a bank-holding company, Morgan Stanley is already one of the top 50 US banks in terms of deposits, the Wall Street Journal reports—and is looking to acquire regional banks that will speed its climb. Analysts say it’s unlikely Morgan...

Bailed-Out Banks Won't Bail on Sports Sponsorships

Gaudy expenditures anger public, Congress

(Newser) - Citibank is getting billions from taxpayers and cutting thousands of jobs, but it's not canning its 20-year, $400 million deal to dub the New York Mets’ new stadium “Citi Field.” Such big advertising deals are coming under the microscope—and have critics crying foul, ABC News reports. “...

Citi Rescue Could Lead to More Trouble

Rivals may take risks, expecting taxpayer protection

(Newser) - The Citigroup rescue bolstered confidence in the financial sector in the short term, but in the long term it could spell more trouble for taxpayers and other struggling banks, writes Eric Dash in the New York Times. Other banks will see the bailout as a template for future ones—giving...

Stocks Jump on Citi Rescue
 Stocks Jump on Citi Rescue 
MARKET Open

Stocks Jump on Citi Rescue

Dow makes triple-digit move in the right direction

(Newser) - Stocks kept Friday’s good mojo going this morning, after the government announced a massive plan to prop up Citigroup. The Dow rose 145 points at the open, as Citi shares leaped 57%, and pulled the rest of the sector with them. Bank of America rose 13%, while Morgan Stanley...

AmEx Cleared to Become Commercial Bank

Credit card company can now accept deposits, access emergency Fed funds

(Newser) - The Fed has given credit card giant American Express the all-clear to become a bank holding company in a bid to keep the financial crisis wolves from the door, Marketwatch reports. AmEx can now accept deposits and access the Fed's emergency lending facilities. The central bank waived the normal 30-day...

Citigroup Looks to Buy Bank After Wachovia Misstep

Seeking to ease embarrassment from its failed bid, it looks to buy a regional player

(Newser) - After losing Wachovia to Wells Fargo, Citigroup is again looking to buy a bank to bolster its deposit base in the face of continuing economic turmoil, reports the Wall Street Journal. The latest target is a regional bank considerably smaller than Wachovia. Citi recently drew $25 billion from the Treasury...

Paulson Slipped Banks Quiet $140B Tax Break

Reversal of 20-year-old tax law allows banks to shelter profits

(Newser) - While Congress and the nation were busy debating the $700 billion bailout package in late September, Treasury issued a five-sentence notice that could reap banks up to $140 billion in tax breaks, the Washington Post reports. The provision reverses an obscure policy written into law more than 20 years ago...

Even Healthy Banks Eye Bailout Bucks

Institutions fear market will judge them harshly for not tapping into $700B pot

(Newser) - Investor and public pressure could prompt up to 1800 more financial institutions, both publicly and privately held, to apply for a share of the $700 billion bailout fund, the Wall Street Journal reports. The cash-grab likely stems from fear that failing to do so would make an institution look like...

Banks to Use Half Their Bailout Bucks to Pay Dividends

Critics: Cash was meant to spark lending

(Newser) - At least half the $163 billion banks are getting from the Treasury Department to shore up balance sheets and spur lending will be paid to shareholders as dividends over the next 3 years, reports the Washington Post. That’s raised the ire of members of Congress and some economists, who...

Japan's Own Banking Crisis Informs Current Power Play

Segue to international market could bolster declining profits

(Newser) - Japanese banks, which just years ago needed US investors to save them from bankruptcy, are using the current crisis to scoop up low-priced international firms. The timing is perfect for the Asian banks, desperate to bolster profits limited by a saturated domestic sector, the Financial Times reports. Though expansion may...

Bankers to Reap $70B Despite Crash

Economy's woes don't put stop to Wall Street bonuses

(Newser) - Wall Street’s top banks are set to pay their financial workers more than $70 billion in salary and bonuses this year—a tenth of the $700 billion in taxpayer money committed to the bailout—despite the huge drops in share price and cash shortages they are experiencing, the Guardian...

Citi Drops Wachovia Talks, Will Still Sue for Damages

(Newser) - Citigroup said today it's going to let Wells Fargo go ahead with its acquisition of Wachovia, the Wall Street Journal reports. But all's not chummy in the banking world: Citigroup, which charges that Wachovia illegally backed out of a deal to accept a sweeter offer from Wells Fargo, is still...

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