Why are US banks struggling?
Consulting firm Klaros Group analyzed about 4,000 U.S. banks and found 282 banks face the dual threat of commercial real estate loans and potential losses tied to higher interest rates. The majority of those banks are smaller lenders with less than $10 billion in assets.
Triggered by sizable deposit outflows, this event raised concerns about the soundness of the rest of the US banking sector, in particular, other banks of similar or smaller size with large amounts of uninsured deposits, unrealized losses, and commercial real estate exposures.
Other banks in the country could be at risk of failure as unrealized securities losses reached $478 billion, the most recently available data shows. Already, 40 banks with more than $1 billion in assets reported unrealized security losses greater than 50% of their equity capital.
The news: Last Friday, Pennsylvania financial regulators seized and shut down Philadelphia-based Republic First Bank in the first FDIC-insured bank failure of 2024.
From cybersecurity crises to potential mergers that would reshape the payments industry, the banking world is poised for a year of change and regulatory challenges.
Consulting firm Klaros Group analyzed about 4,000 U.S. banks and found 282 banks face the dual threat of commercial real estate loans and potential losses tied to higher interest rates. The majority of those banks are smaller lenders with less than $10 billion in assets.
As the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates in 2022 in response to the 2021–2023 inflation surge, bond prices declined, decreasing the market value of bank capital reserves, causing some banks to incur unrealized losses; to maintain liquidity, Silicon Valley Bank sold its bonds to realize steep losses.
For the most part, if you keep your money at an institution that's FDIC-insured, your money is safe — at least up to $250,000 in accounts at the failing institution. You're guaranteed that $250,000, and if the bank is acquired, even amounts over the limit may be smoothly transferred to the new bank.
JPMorgan Chase, the financial institution that owns Chase Bank, topped our experts' list because it's designated as the world's most systemically important bank on the 2023 G-SIB list. This designation means it has the highest loss absorbency requirements of any bank, providing more protection against financial crisis.
The closures reflect a broader trend in the country's banking industry. Experts say the number of bank branches has been falling nationwide since the Great Recession, but the trend accelerated after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Is Bank of America in trouble?
Overall, Bank of America appears to be in a relatively healthy financial position and is not currently in imminent danger of collapse. However, as with any financial institution, there are always risks involved, and customers and investors should always monitor the bank's financial health and risk profile.
Like banks, which are federally insured by the FDIC, credit unions are insured by the NCUA, making them just as safe as banks. The National Credit Union Administration is a US government agency that regulates and supervises credit unions.
First Republic Bank failed on April 28, 2023. Signature Bank failed on March 12, 2023. Silicon Valley Bank failed on March 10, 2023. Almena State Bank failed on October 23, 2020.
Banks often pursue acquisitions of competitors to cut expenses on overlapping staff, services and facilities. The savings support profits. In recent years, closing branches has often proven integral to deal-related cost-cutting.
As noted in a CNBC report, the Klaros survey of 4,000 banks turned up 282 that sounded alarms. It said their mix of unrealized bond and other investment losses stemming from higher interest rates, and "CRE concentration greater than 300% of capital" raised their risks of potential trouble.
Which Bank Has the Most Complaints? In terms of sheer numbers, Bank of America tops the list with 128,404, which is the most complaints issued overall. However, when it comes to the most complaints per $1 billion deposited, Discover has the highest rate at 247.37 complaints.
Banks during recessions FAQs
Your money is safe in a bank, even during an economic decline like a recession. Up to $250,000 per depositor, per account ownership category, is protected by the FDIC or NCUA at a federally insured financial institution.
Read the CFPB's order. Read the CFPB's 2022 action against U.S. Bank. In its previous action against the bank, the CFPB fined U.S. Bank $37.5 million for illegally accessing its customers' credit reports and opening checking and savings accounts, credit cards, and lines of credit without customers' permission.
| # | Bank | RCRE to T1+ALLL |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dime Community Bank | 549.80% |
| 2 | First Foundation Bank | 538.00% |
| 3 | Provident Bank | 483.50% |
| 4 | Valley National Bank | 472.70% |
The FDIC insures bank accounts for up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category, per bank. If a bank fails, insured deposits will be moved to another FDIC-insured bank or paid out.
How many US banks are in danger?
186 Banks Are in Danger of Failing? A report posted on the Social Science Research Network found that 186 banks in the United States are at risk of failure or collapse due to rising interest rates and a high proportion of uninsured deposits.
WASHINGTON (TND) — The U.S. had its first bank failure of 2024 with federal regulators seizing control of Pennsylvania-based Republic First over the weekend, which comes a year after a string of larger regional banks collapsed in spectacular fashion and fueled fears of a run on deposits and shook faith in the financial ...
The catalysts for the GFC were falling US house prices and a rising number of borrowers unable to repay their loans. House prices in the United States peaked around mid 2006, coinciding with a rapidly rising supply of newly built houses in some areas.
The Bank War was a political struggle that developed over the issue of rechartering the Second Bank of the United States (B.U.S.) during the presidency of Andrew Jackson (1829–1837). The affair resulted in the shutdown of the Bank and its replacement by state banks.
A bank run most often arises from public fear pushing a bank into insufficient liquidity rather than actual insolvency. A bank run can push an institution into bankruptcy if the bank cannot maintain a regulatory equity requirement.
