After getting pounded during 2011, bank stocks have soared this year, especially after the Federal Reserve completed its “stress tests” and said that almost every big bank could survive “extremely adverse” economic conditions. During 2011 bank stock shareholders experienced the biggest price declines since the financial panic of 2008. As worries mounted over both the […]
Big Bank CEOs Take Home Massive Paychecks As Savers and Shareholders Get Crushed
March 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Right or wrong, most consumers have an overwhelmingly negative opinion about big banks. According to a survey by Research and Markets, 86% of social media comments about U.S. and European banks are negative. The negative perception of big banks by the public has become so pervasive that most bank executives probably just ignore it at […]
Fed Says Banks Can Withstand Financial Hurricane – Savers, Borrowers and Shareholders Not So Lucky
March 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Stress tests of the largest banks in the country against a financial hurricane of “extremely adverse” economic conditions shows that almost all of the largest banks in the country would be able to maintain adequate capital levels. The Federal Reserve said that 18 of the 19 banks stress tested would survive even if stock prices […]
New City Bank, Chicago, IL, Closed By Regulators, FDIC Fails To Find Buyer
March 9, 2012 By 1 Comment
New City Bank, Chicago, Illinois, is the second bank to fail in Illinois this year. The insolvent bank was closed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the FDIC was named as receiver. The FDIC was unable to find a buyer for the failed bank, the second time this has happened in […]
Global Commerce Bank, Doraville, GA, Becomes Third Georgia Banking Failure of 2012
March 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Georgia was the epicenter of banking failures last year and the trend seems to be continuing in 2012 as regulators close another failed Georgia bank. During 2011 Georgia had 23 bank failures, accounting for 25% of all 92 bank failures that occurred last year. Of the 12 failed banks this year, three have been in […]
Bank Of America, Hated By Many, Could Make Some People Rich In 2012
March 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
During 2011, some of the smartest investment pros in the world bet heavily on Bank of America and lost big as the stock price collapsed. Concerns over the looming collapse of the European banking system sent U.S bank stocks into a tailspin as panicked investors sold. From a price of $15 in January 2011 the […]
U.S. Treasury Says Financial Crisis Is Over But The Next One May Be Right In Front Of Us
March 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the worst of the financial crisis is now behind us and the TARP bank bailout program has generated positive returns. In an article entitled “The U.S. Economy in Charts”, the Treasury Department notes that the economy is gradually getting stronger as evidenced by 10 straight quarters of […]
Banking Industry Slowly Recovers – 813 Banks Remain On “Problem Bank List”
February 29, 2012 By 3 Comments
The FDIC’s Quarterly Banking Profile for the fourth quarter of 2011 shows a modest but steady recovery in the banking industry. Despite the fact that a majority of banks reported improved quarterly earnings, 813 institutions remain on the Problem Bank List, comprising 11% of all FDIC insured banks and savings associations. Highlights of the 2011 […]
Not All Banks Made Poor Lending Decisions During The Bubble Years – 5 Banks Worth Buying
February 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment
With hundreds of bank failures over the past four years and the Problem Bank List at a 20 year high, it is sometimes easy to get the impression that all banks were engaged in reckless lending during the real estate bubble years. While virtually all of the “Too Big To Fail Banks” engaged in highly […]
Bank of America’s Stock Is A “Great Value” and Housing Will Come Back
February 27, 2012 By 2 Comments
It is always wise to pay attention to one of the greatest investment minds of all time. In the most recent letter to shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway, legendary investor Warren Buffet makes the case for a recovery of both the housing market and shares of Bank of America. Warren Buffet has shown time and again […]