Trends

The U.S. bank regulators wasted little time in responding on August 5 to Standard & Poor’s lowering of the long-term rating of the U.S. government and federal agencies from AAA to AA+. The Federal Reserve, FDIC, OCC, and NCUA kept their guidance

Bankers complain about overly conservative examination procedures.

On the whole, banks were barely in the black in the fourth quarter of last year. That is what passes for good news these days.

The Chairman of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors says his federal counterparts should get over their aversion to allowing private equity capital investment in banks. He also suggests giving stressed community banks a bit more time to resto

Re-default rates remain alarmingly high.

Banks and thrifts made a modest profit in the second quarter, and everybody has renewed their demands for more lending — especially for small business customers. The industry isn’t really getting better, though — it’s getting worse more slowl

A number of Fed officials say the economy is in bad shape — but we knew that.

Small banks pay higher interest rates than too-big-to-fail institutions, a think tank claims.

The banking crisis has made it clear that financial accounting practices need some changes — but in which direction? Two powerful, authoritative bodies have issued conflicting proposals, and banks see trouble ahead.

Consumers are getting better at avoiding overdraft fees, the ABA reports.

A recovery is coming, but it won’t be very pretty, the FOMC warns.

While the economy may be bottoming out, the banking industry faces more hurdles.

Bankers surveyed by the Fed expect underwriting standards to remain tight across all loan categories until at least the second half of 2010.

A report by New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo reveals big bonuses at large financial institutions.

Effects of the recession are moderating a bit, the Beige Book says.

The U.S. economy will improve at a somewhat faster pace than previously forecast, but unemployment will remain high well into the next decade, according to the FOMC.

Delinquencies on consumer installment loans shot up in the first three months of the year.

The economists finally see light at the end of the tunnel.

Don’t believe everything you read in the papers. The economic news is worse than portrayed in the press.

There was a lot more bad news than good in the first quarter bank earnings numbers reported May 27 by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.