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☆ Regulators' concern over TD anti-money-laundering practices helped scuttle First Horizon deal - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TD had pledged to regulators that it would make its anti-money-laundering policies more comprehensive and timely, but the assurances were not enough to sway regulators, the WSJ reported. TD and First Horizon did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The banks ended their proposed merger last week, citing a lack of clarity on when they would get regulatory approvals. At the time, a spokesperson for First Horizon said the termination was solely related to TD and had nothing to do with ongoing banking turmoil. Reporting by Niket Nishant in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju SamuelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ PacWest rallies on dividend cut to bolster capital
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

May 8 (Reuters) - Shares of PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) jumped 39% in premarket trading on Monday and led a recovery in the battered U.S. banking sector after the lender sharply cut its quarterly dividend to shore up its finances. "Given the extreme volatility in the stock recently ... we believe this dividend reduction makes sense and can help the pace of capital building," RBC Capital Markets analysts wrote in a note. PacWest shares, which soared nearly 82% in their last trading session, were currently trading at $7.96. U.S. federal and state officials are assessing whether "market manipulation" caused the recent volatility in banking shares, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the matter. Billionaire Warren Buffett, whose views are closely watched by investors, said on Saturday his conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N) was cautious around the banking sector.

☆ Yen set to snap 3-week losing streak on bank jitters, dollar slides
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Although ECB President Christine Lagarde signalled more tightening to come, markets pared back their expectations on how much further rates would rise. Traders have since priced in more aggressive rate cuts from the Fed, with Fed funds futures implying a small chance that cuts could come as soon as June and through to the end of the year. The Aussie and the kiwi were among the largest beneficiaries of the sliding dollar, each rising more than 0.5% and touching multi-week highs. "For the Fed's June decision, inflation data and employment indicators ... along with bank lending standards will be key to watch. The Australian dollar was last up 0.62% at $0.6735, after touching a two-week peak earlier in the session.

The latest case in point: The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) chose JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) as the winning bidder in an auction to buy collapsed lender First Republic Bank on Monday. FDIC officials, however, say would-be buyers risk losing out if they allow the value of an acquisition target to deteriorate over time while waiting for an FDIC receivership. SWEETENERSU.S. bank mergers were already sluggish as interest rates rose and recession loomed, analysts at Raymond James wrote in an Apr. The first quarter was the quietest opening to a year for bank deals in a generation, they said. Market volatility stops bank buyers from pulling together enough money to cover writedowns on struggling assets, which would be triggered by a traditional acquisition, said David Sandler, co-head of financial services investment banking at Piper Sandler Companies (PIPR.N).

☆ US regional lenders eke out gains after brutal sell-off
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 5 (Reuters) - Shares of U.S. regional lenders rose in premarket trading on Friday following a brutal sell-off during the week that saw First Republic Bank collapse and peer PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) explore strategic options. The KBW Regional Banking Index (.KRX) has plunged about 31% this year as the sector grapples with deepening investor concerns with billions in market value wiped in recent weeks. PacWest, whose shares have plummeted 86% this year, said late on Wednesday it was in talks with potential partners and investors as it weighs strategic options. Shares of the bank plunged to close down 33%. Reporting by Manya Saini in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Amruta Khandekar Editing by Vinay DwivediOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

May 4 (Reuters) - Canadian lender Toronto-Dominion Bank Group (TD.TO) has called off its deal to acquire First Horizon Corp (FHN.N) for $13.4 billion on Thursday, sending the U.S. bank's shares down 44.5% in premarket trading. As part of the termination, TD will pay $200 million to First Horizon in addition to a $25 million fee reimbursement, the banks said. TD first agreed to buy First Horizon in February last year to expand its presence in the United States. Since then, the lender has acquired New York-based boutique investment bank Cowen Inc for $1.3 billion this year. ORTEX data from early last month showed the second-largest Canadian lender was the world's most shorted banking stock.

May 3 (Reuters) - PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) is exploring strategic options including a sale or capital raising, a source familiar with the matter said, sending the shares of the bank and several other U.S. regional lenders tumbling in after-market trading. The Phoenix-based regional lender said it was "reaffirming its financial strength as well as its deposit growth guidance in response to recent industry events." PacWest stock has lost almost 90% of its value since the regional banking crisis started on March 8. Zion Bancorp (ZION.O), First Horizon (FHN.N) and Comerica (CMA.N) each slumped more than 7% and the SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE.P) dropped 5%. The cost of insuring against further losses in regional U.S. bank stocks stood on Wednesday near a one-month high in options markets.

As each domino falls, the next weakest bank begins to wobble," billionaire investor Bill Ackman wrote in a tweet. PacWest stock has lost almost 90% of its value since the regional banking crisis started on March 8. Zion Bancorporation (ZION.O), Comerica (CMA.N) and First Horizon (FHN.N) each slumped more than 7% and the SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE.P) dropped 5%. The cost of insuring against further losses in regional U.S. bank stocks stood on Wednesday near a one-month high in options markets. On Wednesday a source said the lender was looking at options that include a potential sale or capital raise.

☆ Premarket stocks: Why these bank stocks aren't getting crushed
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

First Horizon (FHN) and TD Bank (TD)also called off a $13 billion deal Thursday that would have formed America’s sixth-largest bank. The Stoxx Europe 600 Banks Index, which tracks big EU and UK banks, has shed 14% over the same period. Year-to-date, European banks are up more than 3%, while US lenders are down 26%. Broader market dynamics have also helped European bank stocks. The European Central Bank, which meets Thursday, has also been slower than the US Federal Reserve to hike interest rates.

☆ 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.

☆ 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.

First Horizon and TD said in a statement they had mutually decided to end the deal because there was no clarity on when they would get regulatory approvals. TD will pay $200 million to First Horizon, in addition to a $25 million fee reimbursement. 2 lender came under pressure from some investors to scrap the purchase after the U.S. regional banking crisis. TD agreed to buy First Horizon in February last year to expand its presence in the United States. Average deposits at First Horizon fell 4% to $62.2 billion in the first quarter, compared to the end of last year.

☆ 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.

☆ 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.

☆ Strong US consumer spending seen driving economy in first quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

According to a Reuters survey of economists, GDP growth likely increased at a 2.0% annualized rate last quarter after rising at a 2.6% pace in the fourth quarter. Estimates ranged from a growth rate of 0.4% to a 3.3% pace. DOWNSIDE RISKSome institutions cut their GDP growth estimates, with Wells Fargo slashing its forecast by a full percentage point. Still, consumer spending is expected to have grown at a pace faster than the pedestrian 1.0% rate logged in the fourth quarter. Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, is expected to be driven by demand for services.

☆ TD Bank says in talks over possible extension of First Horizon takeover deadline
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TORONTO, April 20 (Reuters) - Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD.TO) believes its planned takeover of First Horizon Corp (FHN.N) is unlikely to close by its slated deadline and the company is in talks about a "possible extension," TD's chief executive officer said on Thursday. "We have opened discussions with First Horizon about a possible extension, and we will update our shareholders when we can," Bharat Masrani, Group President and CEO at the Canadian lender said at the firm's annual general meeting (AGM). TD is awaiting regulatory approval of the $13.4 billion transaction, which was set to close on May 27, and had previously said it was in discussions with First Horizon to extend the date. Some shareholders have been urging TD to ditch deal after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank last month triggered a crisis of confidence. Reporting by Maiya Keidan; Editing by Ismail ShakilOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Short positions on Canada's TD Bank rise to $6.1 billion, ORTEX data shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Maiya Keidan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TORONTO, April 19 (Reuters) - Hedge fund bets against Canada's TD Bank Group (TD.TO) hit $6.1 billion on Wednesday, a 45% increase from 14 days ago, according to data provider ORTEX's calculations, one day ahead of the Canadian lender's annual general meeting. So-called 'arbitrage investors', many of which are event-driven hedge funds, bet on mergers and acquisitions by buying shares of the target and shorting the acquirer's stock. TD, which is awaiting regulatory approval of its takeover of First Horizon, is expected to address the $13.4 billion deal at its AGM on Thursday in Toronto. Hedge funds profit when they borrow a stock from an institutional investor and sell it back when the price falls, pocketing the difference, a practice known as short-selling. TD shares are down 0.1% since the U.S. regional banking crisis began, and up 3.4% this week.

☆ US labor market gradually losing steam; producer inflation cooling
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Still, the labor market and inflation are likely not cooling fast enough to stop the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates one more time next month. Claims, however, remain below the 270,000 level, a breach of which economists say would signal a deterioration in the labor market. "The upcoming labor market downturn will be modest since the drop in demand is expected to be fairly modest." InflationThe annual PPI rate is subsiding as last year's large increases drop out of the calculation. In the 12 months through March, the core PPI advanced 3.6% after increasing 4.5% in February.

☆ TD world's most shorted banking stock, shares down -ORTEX data
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Maiya Keidan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Around 4.1% of TD's outstanding shares were out on loan to hedge funds, while the second-most shorted bank stock, JP Morgan , only had $2.3 billion worth of shorts, showed the data. Hedge funds profit when they borrow a stock from an institutional investor and sell it back when the price falls, pocketing the difference, a practice known as short-selling. Turmoil in the banking sector began last month with the collapse of regional banks Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, sparking a crisis of confidence. TD shares are down 15.7% since the beginning of the regional bank crisis and down 3.4% this week. Around 2.9% of BMO's outstanding shares were out on loan to hedge funds, or about $1.8 billion.

☆ TD world's most shorted banking stock, ORTEX data shows; shares fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Maiya Keidan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

☆ Some TD shareholders urge bank to ditch or renegotiate First Horizon deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Maiya Keidan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Regional lenders in the U.S. face a crisis of confidence after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank last month. First Horizon shares are trading almost 30% below TD's offer price of $25 each, which points to the high risk to the deal closing. TD offered a 37% premium to buy First Horizon more than a year ago in a deal that would make TD the sixth-largest U.S. bank, operating in 22 states. Even the shareholders who support TD going ahead with the deal say it should not pay the original price proposed. A First Horizon top-20 shareholder told Reuters he expects the deal to be extended with no other changes.

☆ Final Trades: AMGN, FHN, MLPX & WMT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Melissa Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailFinal Trades: AMGN, FHN, MLPX & WMTThe final trades of the week. With CNBC's Melissa Lee and the Fast Money traders, Steve Grasso, Courtney Garcia, Tim Seymour and Guy Adami.

☆ U.S. bank crisis 'unlikely' to spill over to Canada, analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Divya Rajagopal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

read more"The U.S. contagion is unlikely to spill over to Canadian banks as the issues in U.S. are unique and specific to certain business models or lending activities," said James Shanahan, banking analyst with Edward Jones to Reuters. REGIONAL BANK SCRUTINYCanadian banks emerged stronger from the 2008 global financial crisis due to prudent regulations and since built a reputation for financial stability. The Canadian banks have kept their focus on domestic lending and majority of their earnings come from serving local clients. But in recent years, Royal Bank, BMO, TD Bank and CIBC (CM.TO) have expanded into the United States by buying regional lenders to benefit from strong growth in second-tier U.S. cities. However, last week the regional bank's stock was hit after the SVB collapse.

☆ Signature Bank buyer gets a crisis dividend
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( John Foley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The failure of lender Signature Bank (SBNY.O) has forced them to abandon their consolidation-skeptic principles, resulting in a sizeable crisis dividend for Signature’s new owner. Bank mergers almost never happen so quickly, and nobody knows that better than Community Bancorp boss Thomas Cangemi. A study by the St. Louis Federal Reserve found that failed bank selloffs did lessen competition, but not by much. Community Bancorp said it has taken on $13 billion in loans and $25 billion in cash as part of the deal. The FDIC has been given equity appreciation rights in New York Community Bancorp that could be worth up to $300 million.

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