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From This Collection

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

Silicon Valley Bank's collapse reveals deeper flaws in the venture capital industry

Mar 16, 2023
VCs have been among the loudest voices calling for government insurance amidst SVB’s collapse, after pulling their funds out of the struggling bank.
Prominent venture capitalists were quick to call for government insurance of all Silicon Valley Bank's deposits after its collapse Friday.
Michael Cohen/Getty Images

Increased scrutiny on banks raises specter of tightening credit

Mar 16, 2023
Banks may get stingier and more selective with loans, and that could hurt businesses that need them.
Smaller businesses often turn to small and midsize banks to help expand their operations. But those banks may be getting more selective with loans.
Drazen Zigic/Getty Images
Fed Chair Jerome Powell has been used the phrase "financial conditions" 29 times in his last three press conferences.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

What is "moral hazard," and why does Silicon Valley Bank have us talking about it again?

Mar 16, 2023
Insurance can create perverse incentives, making risk seem less risky. Is "moral hazard" to blame for SVB's meltdown?
The show "Seinfeld" provides more than just laughs. It also provides a great example of "moral hazard."
Screenshot via YouTube/Castle Rock

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Banks working on rescue plan for First Republic, AP sources say

Mar 16, 2023
A group of Wall Street banks is planning a rescue package of around $30 billion for First Republic Bank, sources told The Associated Press on Thursday.
First Republic serves a similar clientele as Silicon Valley Bank, which failed Friday after depositors withdrew about $40 billion.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Could the Fed's new emergency bank lending program encourage risky behavior?

The Fed's new program may incentivize banks to take more risks, says analyst Joseph Wang.
The Fed's freshly created Bank Term Funding Program could reduce the incentives for banks to follow good practices, says analyst Joseph Wang.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images