From This Collection

Some Republicans are blaming SVB’s collapse on ESG initiatives

We explore what’s really going on here with Washington Post reporter Julian Mark.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is one of several prominent Republican lawmakers blaming the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank on so-called ESG investing.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Banks may become more selective about who gets loans

Mar 21, 2023
The collapse of SBV could lead to increased scrutiny around potential risk by banks.
After the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, financial institutions may become more selective about who gets loaned money.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

All eyes are on the Federal Reserve's next move in this "wobbly" economic moment

Mar 20, 2023
The inflation threat calls for one type of action, and the banking turmoil calls for another. How will the Fed respond?
Chairman Jerome Powell and other policymakers at the central bank will reveal their interest rate decision Wednesday. The Fed is also taking steps to stabilize the condition of regional banks and protect depositors.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Is Switzerland still synonymous with safe banking?

Mar 20, 2023
Switzerland’s reputation for secure, secret banking goes back to at least WW I. But its banks have changed over time, with mixed results.
UBS was reportedly worried that if Credit Suisse went bankrupt, it could have threatened the image of Swiss banking.
Fabric Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

Are bank supervisors, or bank rules, too lax?

Mar 20, 2023
Do banking rules need tightening? Do supervisors need better training and greater powers? The answer will influence what comes next.
Politicians and lobbyists are debating whether Silicon Valley Bank collapsed due to a regulatory or supervisory failure. Above, Sen. Charles Grassley confers with Sen. John Cornyn during a Finance Committee hearing.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Smaller banks keep a close watch over their liquidity

Mar 20, 2023
One concern: People will put their money in a bigger bank. But there's a good reason to leave it in smaller institution, one banker says.
If more people get anxious about the banking system, they may start withdrawing their money, said University of Alabama law professor Julie Hill.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

You can protect more than $250,000 at a bank. But beware the “moral hazard.”

Mar 17, 2023
The FDIC allows coverage of different types of accounts at the same bank. There are also services that help you spread your money around.
Depositors are covered by the FDIC for up to $250,000, but there are ways to skirt the limit.
Karen Bleier/AFP via Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Behind SVB's collapse were a whole lot of texts on messaging groups

Mar 17, 2023
Chatter among the bank's depositors on social media and texting groups may have exacerbated its demise.
Bank runs of the 1930s happened slowly, because we banked and communicated differently then.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images

How freaked out are consumers these days?

Mar 17, 2023
Consumer sentiment isn't as gloomy as the failure of Silicon Valley Bank might lead you to expect.
According to a University of Michigan survey, consumer sentiment fell this month. But people seem to be more worried about their grocery bills and dwindling savings than about tremors in the financial system.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

What is "duration risk"? (And how did it get Silicon Valley Bank into trouble?)

Mar 16, 2023
Investing in long-term government bonds and mortgage-backed securities hurt the bank as interest rates rose and bond prices plummeted.
Some bonds are more sensitive to interest rates than others, depending on how long they take to mature. That “duration risk” hurt SVB financially.
Noah Berger/AFP via Getty Images