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☆ Analysts warn regional banks stocks are in a 'negative feedback loop' and detached from fundamentals
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The latest drop for regional bank shares is causing some Wall Street analysts to back away from their recommendations on the stocks, even if they still believe in the underlying fundamentals for the companies. Other regional banks also sold off, including a 19% drop for Western Alliance. The deposit update was not enough to reassure all Wall Street analysts about the health of regional banks, and there is concern that the drops in the stocks could reignite deposit flight. Meanwhile, RBC Capital Markets' analyst Jon Arfstrom stuck with his outperform rating on PacWest, but said only investors with strong stomachs should stick around. Western Alliance Another bank stock that has taken heavy loses in recent weeks is Western Alliance .

☆ Short sellers reap $378.9 mln from losses in PacWest, two other bank stocks - Ortex
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 4 (Reuters) - Short sellers made $378.9 million in paper profits betting against regional banks First Horizon Corp (FHN.N), PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) and Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL.N) in Thursday's session, analytics firm Ortex said. PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) dove 57% on Thursday, dragging down other regional lenders, after the Los Angeles-based bank said it was in talks about strategic options. Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL.N) denied a report from the Financial Times that said it was exploring a potential sale. Over the first two days of May, short sellers made $1.2 billion from declines in stocks of U.S. regional lenders, according to Ortex. Short sellers typically sell borrowed securities and aim to buy these back at a lower price to pocket the difference.

☆ Exclusive: U.S. officials assessing possible 'manipulation' on banking shares- source
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

May 4 (Reuters) - U.S. officials at the federal and state level are assessing the possibility of "market manipulation" behind big moves in banking share prices in recent days, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Shares of regional banks resumed their slide this week after the collapse of First Republic Bank, the third U.S. mid-sized lender to fail in two months. Short sellers raked in $378.9 million in paper profits on Thursday alone from betting against certain regional banks, according to analytics firm Ortex. "State and federal regulators and officials are increasingly attentive to the possibility of market manipulation regarding banking equities," the source said. "This week we have seen that regional banks remain well- capitalized," the source said.

☆ Futures waver as PacWest slide offsets Fed pause optimism
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Fed over the past 14 months has raised rates by 500 basis points to tame price pressures in its most aggressive policy tightening since the 1980s. The KBW Regional Banking index (.KRX) and S&P 500 Banks index (.SPXBK) have lost around 29% and 15% so far in 2023. Investors will also monitor weekly jobless claims for further clues on the state of the labor market. Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) slumped 6.7% after third-quarter forecasts missed estimates, while Etsy Inc (ETSY.O) gained 3% on beating expectations for quarterly revenue. Reporting by Ankika Biswas in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ PacWest tumbles on weighing options, other U.S. regional bank stocks fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 4 (Reuters) - Shares of U.S. regional banks fell premarket on Thursday, hurt by a 37% slump in PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) after its announcement about exploring strategic options spurred market concerns of a worsening banking crisis. Zion Bancorporation (ZION.O), KeyCorp (KEY.N), Valley National Bancorp (VLY.O), Comerica (CMA.N) and First Horizon (FHN.N) dropped between 2% and 6%. The SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE.P) shed 2.8%. The slide in shares of PacWest and its peers highlights uncertainty around the health of regional banks despite regulatory efforts to call an end to the banking crisis that started with the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in March. PacWest Bancorp reported a loss of $1.1 billion attributed to shareholders for the first quarter of the year.

☆ First Horizon stock tumbles 50% after TD Bank merger collapses
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( David Goldman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —First Horizon and TD Bank have called off a $13 billion deal that would have formed America’s sixth-largest bank, adding to the turmoil sweeping the country’s regional lenders. But regional banks have been losing the confidence of investors and customers since the March collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. On Monday, a third regional bank, First Republic, failed and JPMorgan purchased most of its assets. Other regional bank stocks have tumbled in recent days after First Republic’s failure. Customers had been moving their money to bigger banks, leaving some regional banks without the cash they need to pay for withdrawals.

☆ Western Alliance latest US bank to explore sale, Financial Times reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 4 (Reuters) - Western Alliance (WAL.N) is exploring strategic options including a potential sale of all or part of its business, the Financial Times reported on Thursday citing two people briefed on the matter. The Arizona-based bank has hired advisers to explore its options, the report added, saying the bank's deliberations were at an early stage and might not come to anything. Shares in Western Alliance had fallen 45% in volatile trading before being halted. Three U.S. regional banks have failed in the last two months, spurring widespread worries about the sector's stability and deepened concerns about lenders as nervous clients moved their money to bigger financial institutions. PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) also said late on Wednesday it was in talks with potential partners and investors about strategic options.

☆ Treasury: US banks have 'substantial' liquidity, deposit flows are stable
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, May 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday said it was continuing to monitor market developments amid sharp drops in the shares of regional lenders PacWest Bancorp <PACW.O and Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL.N), but deposit flows were stable. "We continue to closely monitor market developments," a Treasury official said. "The banking system has substantial liquidity and deposit flows are stable." Western Alliance's stock was down 58.2%, despite a statement from the bank saying it had no unusual deposit outflows and had adequate liquidity. First Republic was the third major casualty of the biggest crisis to hit the U.S. banking sector since 2008.

☆ Regional bank stocks continue to slide on Thursday with PacWest leading the way down 40%
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The slide began on Wednesday evening following news that the Los Angeles-based bank was exploring strategic options, including a potential sale. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Shares of PacWest were poised to open sharply lower on Thursday. related investing news 'Self-fulfilling prophecy is a risk' in regional bank crisis, Evercore ISI says The bank said in a statement that it "will continue to evaluate all options to maximize shareholder value." Meanwhile, Tennessee-based First Horizon also fell 40% after the regional lender and TD Bank announced that they were terminating their merger agreement. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Shares of First Horizon were under pressure after the lenders' merger with TD Bank was called off.

☆ PacWest, Western Alliance hit as US banking concerns widen
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Medha Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

PacWest (PACW.O) slumped 37% in premarket trade, after having lost 29% since Monday. Reuters had reported on Wednesday that PacWest was exploring strategic options including a potential sale or capital raising, which the lender confirmed late in the day. Zion Bancorporation (ZION.O), KeyCorp (KEY.N), Valley National Bancorp (VLY.O), Comerica (CMA.N) and First Horizon (FHN.N) dropped between 2% and 6%. The SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE.P) shed 2.8%. PacWest Bancorp reported a loss of $1.1 billion attributed to shareholders for the first quarter of the year.

☆ Here are Thursday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, Western Alliance, Berkshire Hathaway, Wix & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"We are initiating coverage of ZI with a BUY rating and a $30 target as a rare value investment within software. Citi upgrades Deutsche Bank to buy from neutral Citi said the global investment bank is at an "attractive entry point." " Deutsche Bank is one of the most de-rated banks YTD, yet the 1Q23 results demonstrated potential for further consensus earnings upgrades." Rosenblatt reiterates Apple as buy Rosenblatt said it's standing by its buy rating heading into earnings on Thursday after the bell. " CFRA reiterates Berkshire Hathaway as hold CFRA said it's standing by its "fairly valued" hold rating heading into Berkshire earnings on Saturday.

☆ Regional bank stocks edge higher after two-day slump
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Medha Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) shares rose 6.5% in early afternoon trading after tumbling 28% to close at their lowest level on record on Tuesday. Western Alliance Bank (WAL.N) advanced 4.2%, while Comerica (CMA.N) and Valley National Bankcorp (VLY.O) added nearly 1% and more than 2%, respectively. The KBW Regional Banking Index (.KRX) rose 2% after closing at its lowest level since December 2020 on Tuesday. The plunge in regional bank stocks came after U.S. regulators seized First Republic Bank and sold off its assets to JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) for $10.6 billion. The bank selloff indicates investor unease over their outlook following the First Republic deal, Brown Brothers Harriman analysts wrote in a note.

[1/3] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., May 3, 2023. Major U.S. stock indexes dropped over 1% on Tuesday as regional bank shares tumbled on renewed fears over the financial system and as investors tried to gauge how much longer the Fed may need to hike interest rates. Estee Lauder Cos Inc (EL.N) slid 21.3% as the MAC lipstick maker forecast a bigger drop in full-year sales and profit. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners for a 2.11-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and a 2.25-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded 19 new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 30 new highs and 76 new lows.

☆ US regional lenders notch modest gains after two-day slump
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Medha Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) shares gained 2.1% in early trading after tumbling 28% to close at their lowest level on record on Tuesday. The KBW Regional Banking Index (.KRX) rose 1% after closing at its lowest level since December 2020. Evercore ISI analysts lowered their 2023 earnings outlook for regional lenders. The brokerage now estimates a nearly 1%decline from a year earlier, compared to an already lowered expectations of a 4% growth, blaming it on intensifying funding cost pressures amid declining regional bank deposits. Meanwhile, short sellers have pocketed $1.2 billion in paper profits betting against regional lenders in the first two days of May, with Truist Financial Corp (TFC.N) and PacWest generating the highest gains, analytics firm Ortex said.

☆ Stocks slide into Fed mode, shorts stalk banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Overnight, tumbling regional bank stocks (.KRX) dragged the S&P 500 (.SPX) down 1.2% and oil dived more than 5% on fears that shaky bank confidence and signs of weakness in the U.S. job market were harbingers of a looming broader slowdown. Bonds rallied as investors reckoned the Federal Reserve, which sets policy later on Wednesday, will soon be switching from rate hikes to cuts. Among banks, PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O), down 27.8%, Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL.N), down 15.1%, and Comerica Inc (CMA.N) down 12.4%, were the biggest losers. If that happens, focus will be on whether or how hard Fed Chair Jerome Powell pushes back on investors' expectations for rate cuts by year's end. The Australian dollar has given back some of the ground gained on Tuesday, following a surprise rate hike from the central bank, and sat at $0.6670.

☆ Premarket stocks: What happens above 5%? The Fed's big risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

However, job openings that month tumbled to their lowest level since May 2021, according to data released Tuesday. The shifting landscape paved the way for the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in March and First Republic Bank this week. By blessing JPMorgan’s takeover of First Republic Bank, the Democratic US senator fears federal regulators just made the “too big to fail” problem even worse. To the relief of investors and bank customers, the JPMorgan deal protects all of First Republic’s depositors. The decision to invest in food and grocery delivery during the pandemic has become a big advantage for Uber.

☆ US, Turkey cooperate on terrorism-related sanctions -Treasury
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 2 (Reuters) - The United States worked together to impose terrorism-related sanctions on two individuals linked to funding two Syria-based groups already sanctioned by the United States and United Nations, the Treasury Department said on Tuesday. The actions target Omar Alsheak, a leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham group, and Kubilay Sari, who has received funds in Turkey from donors for Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, the department said in a statement. "As terrorist groups continue to seek access to the international financial system, collaboration with our partners increases our ability to more effectively disrupt these facilitation networks," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. The new designations follow joint U.S.-Turkish actions on Jan. 5 that target a key financial network of Islamic State, Treasury said. Reporting by Ismail ShakilOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ US regional bank stocks fall for second day as First Republic failure weighs
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 2 (Reuters) - Shares of major U.S. regional banks fell further on Tuesday in the aftermath of the collapse of First Republic Bank (FRC.N), the largest U.S. bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis. Investors are still concerned that the crisis started by the closure of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in March could engulf other mid-sized lenders. Shares of PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) tumbled nearly 30%, while Western Alliance Bank (WAL.N) and KeyCorp (KEY.N) fell 21% and 10%, respectively. Some investors are also concerned about the long-term impact of the JPMorgan deal, which risks worsening the "too-big-to-fail" problem regulators have been trying to solve for years. Reporting by Niket Nishant and Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu SahuOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

NEW YORK, April 30 (Reuters) - PNC Financial Services Group (PNC.N) and JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) were among banks set to submit final bids for First Republic Bank (FRC.N) by midday Sunday in an auction being run by U.S. regulators, sources familiar with the matter said. Citizens Financial Group Inc (CFG.N) was another bidder in the final phase of the process, according to one of the sources familiar with the matter. Guggenheim Securities is advising the FDIC, two sources familiar with the matter said on Saturday. Citizens Financial Group Inc (CFG.N) was another bidder vying for the bank, according to sources familiar with the matter on Saturday. But fearing further bank runs, regulators took the exceptional step of insuring all deposits at both Silicon Valley Bank and Signature.

☆ FDIC prepares to place First Republic under receivership
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Greg Roumeliotis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

April 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is preparing to place First Republic Bank (FRC.N) under receivership imminently, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday, sending shares of the lender down nearly 50% in extended trading. The FDIC asked banks including JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) and PNC Financial Services Group (PNC.N) to submit final bids for First Republic Bank by Sunday, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday. If the San Francisco-based lender falls into receivership, it would be the third U.S. bank to collapse since March. Shares of some other regional banks also fell, with PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) down 2% after the bell while Western Alliance (WAL.N) was down 0.7%. "The rest of the regional bank system feels like it's in a different place than where FRC is," he said.

Guggenheim Securities is advising the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) on the sale process, two sources familiar with the matter said. The process kicked off this week after First Republic, which got swept up in a banking crisis last month, failed to come up with a deal without government help, three of the sources familiar with the situation said. A deal for First Republic would come less then two months after Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank failed amid a deposit flight from U.S. lenders, forcing the Federal Reserve to step in with emergency measures to calm markets. A sale would bring to an end a weeks-long effort by First Republic to survive the market rout. When that deal failed to stabilize First Republic, the lender, known best for its rich clientele, tried to find other private-sector solutions.

☆ First Republic may not survive, even after two multibillion-dollar bailouts
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —First Republic Bank is in a fight for its survival. “It’s becoming clearer each day” that First Republic is “toast,” said Don Bilson at Gordon Haskett, in a note Wednesday. First Republic said in its latest earnings call that is exploring its strategic options, Wall Street code for searching for a white knight. First Republic CEO Michael Roffler attempted to assure investors in an earnings call Monday that the bank had enough liquidity to do that. That’s what happened to Silicon Valley Bank on March 10 when the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation took possession of and closed Silicon Valley Bank and on March 12 Signature Bank was closed by the New York State Department of Financial Services.

☆ Premarket stocks: Google and Microsoft fight over the future of AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Microsoft, Google and a number of smaller rivals are in a race to integrate generative artificial intelligence technology (similar to ChatGPT) into their search functions and other applications. Both companies see it as an integral part of their future, but it was apparent on Tuesday that Microsoft and Google aren’t in agreement about what that future will look like. Analysts have expressed worry that Google is falling behind the competition when it comes to AI innovation. First Republic shares plunge 50%The past few weeks have been brutal for First Republic Bank (FRC). First Republic Bank also said Monday that it expects to cut its workforce by 20-25% this quarter.

First Republic reported a more than $100 billion plunge in deposits in the quarter in the aftermath of the biggest turmoil to hit the banking sector since 2008. Regional bank PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) fell 9%, Western Alliance Bancorporation (WAL.N) 6%, Zions Bancorp (ZION.O) 5% and brokerage Charles Schwab Corp (SCHW.N) was down 4%. First Republic said on Monday it was "pursuing strategic options" to quickly strengthen the bank, without providing details. Options include an asset sale of up to $100 billion, a source familiar with the situation said on Tuesday. "So it's tough to even describe it as good asset and bad asset," Chiaverini said.

☆ China doesn’t want US cars like Ford and General Motors. That’s a big problem for their futures.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

America has a problem: China — the world's largest car market — doesn't want its vehicles. In 2022, data shows Ford and General Motors' car sales in China each dropped more than 20% from the year before. My colleagues Alexa St. John and Nora Naughton break down how the future of US automakers hinges on China. Although Google founder Larry Page's flying car company Kittyhawk majorly flopped, it left us with some interesting vehicles. Hop aboard to see all the funky flying car models here.

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