Big banks post big profits

Oct 13, 2023
The classic way banks make money rests on three words: net interest income.
Big banks JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Citigroup told investors they netted a combined $22 billion this past quarter.
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Senate to consider giving cannabis businesses access to banking

Sep 25, 2023
The Senate Banking Committee hearing this week will consider the question of allowing cannabis business owners to open bank accounts for their companies legally.
It’s currently difficult for cannabis business owners to open bank accounts, even in states where marijuana is legal.
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Fed is nearing a point when it is not a matter of raising rates, but how long to keep them high, says Chicago Fed CEO Austan Goolsbee

Sep 7, 2023
There is growing confidence that the Fed can pull off lowering inflation without a recession, said Chicago Fed CEO Austan Goolsbee.
"There's a growing confidence that we can pull off" a soft landing, says Chicago Fed chief Austan Goolsbee. "The only thing I want to caution you is that it's not a guarantee."
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6 months out from SVB's failure, a bank president's optimism has waned

Sep 6, 2023
Pressure to keep more capital puts constraints on banks, says Laurie Stewart of Sound Community in Seattle.
Laurie Stewart, the head of Sound Community Bank in Seattle, says pressures to hold more capital will "impact our ability to serve clients and to be investable."
Courtesy Sound Community Bank

The Federal Reserve could help instant payments catch on

Aug 2, 2023
Many small banks have been hesitant to offer instant payments, even though they’ve been available for years. But the central bank’s FedNow service could cause more banks to give instant payments a try.
A couple of weeks ago, the Federal Reserve launched FedNow, a new payment service that allows people to send and receive money instantly.
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What’s the right amount of capital for banks to have on hand?

Jul 11, 2023
More than they currently do, says the Federal Reserve’s vice chair for supervision.
It’s always a balancing act for bank regulators to figure out how much capital is enough.
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Just how safe are credit unions?

Jun 2, 2023
They have been known to fail, but generally they take less risk with their money than banks. Experts say make sure your deposits are insured.
Both credit unions and banks are generally safe, but credit unions may take less risk with the money you've deposited.
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Who's on the hook for money the FDIC paid uninsured depositors?

May 12, 2023
The agency wants the country's largest banks to split the cost of refilling its coffers. But smaller banks aren't sure they're in the clear.
After stepping in to rescue depositors after recent bank failures, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. wants to replenish its insurance fund. Above, the agency's logo at a First Republic Bank branch.
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One way to make banks safer? Make them "narrower."

May 12, 2023
Limiting riskier, illiquid investment could make banks and the financial system more stable — but the Federal Reserve isn’t so sure.
A narrow bank could just lock your money away in a vault behind the tellers or park it in a liquid investment. But those options aren't very profitable.
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