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Here's why the U.S. has so many banks

May 5, 2023
Deregulation has allowed lenders to operate across state lines, making it easier for banks to merge when they’re in trouble.
"Banking in this country is way more restrictive than in any other of the industrialized countries," says Richard Grossman, an economics professor. 
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What do bank branches offer in an online-banking world?

May 3, 2023
JPMorgan Chase's purchase of First Republic includes its brick-and-mortar locations. In-person interaction is still a key part of the business.
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How will banking change amid wreckage of SVB, First Republic?

May 2, 2023
New regulation and industry consolidation will be key. Loans may be scarcer for new businesses and in low-income and rural communities.
Executives and regulators would like the fallout of the recent bank failures to be limited, but the impact is being felt.
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When short sellers bet against banks

Apr 28, 2023
Short sellers have made more than a billion dollars betting that First Republic would tank. Is that good for financial stability?
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Banks to start reporting quarterly earnings, providing clues about the economy

Apr 13, 2023
First up: the biggest financial institutions. They're likely to show strong results.
Citibank is among the large financial institutions that will report results Friday. Considering recent instability in the sector, analysts will examine the data closely.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

The history of “too big to fail”

Apr 13, 2023
In the wake of the Silicon Valley Bank debacle, the 1984 failure of Continental Illinois remains relevant.
The head offices of Bear Stearns, left, and JPMorgan Chase in New York in March 2008. After Bear went bust, JPM acquired its remains for a small sum.
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What's next for financial regulators after the banking jitters?

The recent bank rescues should serve as a wake-up call for regulators to do more, says senior economics contributor Chris Farrell.
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For public good, not for profit.

Stress tests aim to reveal banks' weaknesses. More banks will probably have to run them.

Mar 22, 2023
But the probes can't uncover every problem before trouble erupts.
The Federal Reserve may have to modify its stress tests to account for the changing sources of stress on banks.
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"Moral hazard" at banks isn't just a theoretical concern

According to Boston College's Patricia McCoy, data underscore concerns about the government's role in risk-taking at banks.
Data support the claim that too much government backing can incentivize banks to take more risks, says Boston College law professor Patricia McCoy.
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What does a bank's credit rating really tell us?

Mar 21, 2023
Credit rating agency Moody's had given Silicon Valley Bank a high rating — right up until it failed.
A sign for Moody's rating agencyat the company headquarters. Credit rating firms gave high marks to SBV and Signature Bank before collapsing.
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