New York CNN —First Republic Bank, facing a crisis of confidence from investors and customers, is actively discussing options for a lifeline — including a takeover, according to the Wall Street Journal. Participating in the discussions Thursday are massive Wall Street banks, including JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley, the Journal reported. Both Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings downgraded First Republic Bank’s credit rating on Wednesday on concerns that depositors could pull their cash from the bank. Many regional banks, including First Republic, have large amounts of uninsured deposits above the $250,000 FDIC limit. To make money, banks use a portion of customers’ deposits to give out loans to other customers.

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