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Shares of U.S. regional banks rose, led by a 11.6% premarket rise in Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL.N) as the lender's deposit growth exceeded $2 billion and brokerage Bank of America Global Research resumed coverage of the bank with a "buy" rating. U.S. President Joe Biden will continue talks with congressional leaders on the debt ceiling later this week, the White House said one day after an hour-long meeting seen as productive. "Cautious optimism expressed from both President (Joe) Biden and Speaker (Kevin) McCarthy about the progress of the debt talks has made people feel a little bit better," said Michael James, managing director of equity trading at Wedbush Securities. Target Corp(TGT.N) edged 0.4% higher in choppy trading after the retailer beat first-quarter profit expectations but forecast current-quarter profit below expectations. ET, Dow e-minis were up 129 points, or 0.39%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 13 points, or 0.32%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 18.5 points, or 0.14%.

☆ US regional bank shares jump on Western Alliance deposits growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 17 (Reuters) - Shares of U.S. regional lenders climbed premarket on Wednesday, looking to break out of range-bound trading as an update on Western Alliance Bancorp's (WAL.N) deposit levels soothed concerns that the U.S. banking crisis was getting worse. Western Alliance shares shot up 11% to $35.18, on course to erase losses recorded over the last two weeks if gains hold. Western Alliance and other regional lenders have seen their stock valuations battered by worries around a broader crisis and funding costs, with consumers moving money into bigger banks after three mid-sized U.S. lenders collapsed in the last two months. The bank's shares have seesawed in the last few sessions, rallying nearly 18% on Monday only to give back those gains a day later. Shares of Comerica Inc (CMA.N), Zions Bancorp (ZION.O) and KeyCorp (KEY.N) were also up between 1.3% and 3.5%.

"Markets reacted positively because they saw the inflation data as a small positive," said Michael Harris, president at hedge fund Quest Partners LLC. The rate-sensitive S&P 500 technology sector index (.SPLRCT) went up 1.22% and the communication services (.SPLRCL) rose 1.69%. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidIndexes were choppy during the session, as investors digested the positive inflation print with concerns about the looming debt ceiling. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners on the NYSE by a 1.32-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.40-to-1 ratio favored advancers. The S&P 500 posted 18 new 52-week highs and 11 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 86 new highs and 152 new lows.

The Labor Department's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 4.9% in April from a year ago and compared with expectations of a 5% increase. The lower-than-expected inflation data drove the Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) up as much as 1.17% to its highest intraday level in more than eight months. The rate-sensitive S&P 500 technology sector index (.SPLRCT) rose 0.82%, while communication services (.SPLRCL) was up 1.21%. Declining issues outnumbered advancers on the NYSE by a 1.17-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.03-to-1 ratio favored advancers. The S&P 500 posted 14 new 52-week highs and 11 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 71 new highs and 135 new lows.

The Labor Department's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 4.9% in April from a year ago and compared with expectations of a 5% increase. "You still have a reasonably strong economy and rates that are not going any higher." ET, Dow e-minis were up 181 points, or 0.54%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 33.75 points, or 0.82%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 116.25 points, or 0.88%. Shares of regional banks rose after a few volatile sessions last week on concerns about the health of the sector. Oil and gas producer Occidental Petroleum Corp (OXY.N) fell 0.9% after its first-quarter earnings fell short of analysts' estimates.

Large-cap technology stocks, including Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), dipped about 0.4% each in premarket trading. ET, Dow e-minis were down 62 points, or 0.18%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 7.25 points, or 0.18%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 25.25 points, or 0.19%. PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) fell 2.5%, while Zions Bancorporation (ZION.O) and Western Alliance Bank (WAL.N) inched up 0.7% and 0.6%, respectively. Oil and gas producer Occidental Petroleum Corp (OXY.N) fell 1.5% after its first-quarter earnings fell short of analysts' estimates. Airbnb Inc (ABNB.O) lost 13.5% as the vacation rental booking company saw fewer bookings and lower average daily rates in the second quarter.

☆ Why missing one $2 expense could derail your whole national park trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

What this means: Travelers can't necessarily bank on showing up spontaneously to a national park and getting the experience they desire. Record park visitation spurred reservationsTourists crowd into the Midway Geyser Basin on July 14, 2021 at Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. One — Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas — saw record visitors last year. Overall visits to national parks jumped by 5% in 2022 versus the year prior, to 312 million recreation visits. These national parks require vehicle reservationsTraffic heading into Yosemite Village on Oct. 6, 2019, in Yosemite National Park, California.

☆ PacWest leads losses in regional bank stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 9 (Reuters) - Shares of PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) looked set to lead declines in U.S. regional lenders at market open on Tuesday as investors feared the ongoing banking crisis could deepen. The KBW Regional Banking Index (.KRX) hit a 30-month low last week after the collapse of First Republic Bank and PacWest's decision to explore strategic options. PacWest and Western Alliance, which have been at the heart of the sell-off in regional banks, saw the steepest decline in deposits in the first quarter after First Republic, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data. Western Alliance (WAL.N) dropped 1.5%, while First Horizon Corp (FHN.N) and Zion Bancorp (ZION.O) dipped 0.1% and 0.3%, respectively, with Arfstrom noting that the pullback in banks shares overall have made their valuations attractive. Wall Street executives and bank analysts last week called on regulators to quickly provide more protection for bank deposits and consider other backstops, arguing only an intervention could stop the crisis.

☆ PacWest, Western Alliance lead slide in regional bank stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 9 (Reuters) - Shares of regional lenders PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) and Western Alliance (WAL.N) resumed their slide in premarket trading on Tuesday as investors feared the ongoing banking crisis could deepen. PacWest dropped 13.6%, a day after the Los Angeles-based lender's decision to cut its quarterly dividend failed to stem worries about its financial stability. The KBW Regional Banking Index (.KRX) had last week touched 30-month lows after the collapse of First Republic Bank and PacWest's decision to exploring strategic options. PacWest and Western Alliance, which have been at the heart of the banking selloff, saw the steepest decline in deposits in the first quarter after First Republic, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data. Reporting by Medha Singh in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Bansari Mayur Kamdar; Editing by Arun KoyyurOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Why bank stocks are so unstable
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

New York CNN —The financial sector has been churning in rough water since the shocking collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in March. Bank insiders see this and have been buying up shares of regional lenders, according to a report by Timothy Coffey, an analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott. The Oracle of Omaha said he remains cautious about holding bank stocks and that he has reduced his own exposure to the sector. The S&P 500 financial sector, however, is down more than 12% over the same period. Economists were hoping that this year would bring better news, but instead 2023 brought the collapse of three US regional banks and a subsequent lending squeeze.

☆ Premarket stocks: The Fed could be on the verge of repeating its 1970s mistake
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But Gary Richardson, a Federal Reserve historian, is worried policymakers — now contemplating taking a breather — still risk repeating mistakes from that era. A premature retreat could cause the Fed to lose its handle on the situation, presenting even grimmer options down the road. Quick rewind: The chair of the Federal Reserve at the time, Arthur Burns, hiked interest rates dramatically between 1972 and 1974. Inflation later roared back, forcing the hand of Paul Volcker, who took over at the Fed in 1979, Richardson said. But the comparisons reveal the high stakes for the Federal Reserve at a moment of acute uncertainty.

☆ 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.

Regional bank shares stretched gains from a rebound on Friday, with PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) jumping 33% premarket after the company announced quarterly dividend. Shares of such banks tumbled for much of last week on worries tied to the collapse of First Republic Bank. ET, Dow e-minis were up 67 points, or 0.2%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 6 points, or 0.14%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 4.25 points, or 0.03%. Data on producer prices, weekly jobless claims and on consumer sentiment are all lined up through the week. On earnings, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc's Class B shares rose 1.5% after the company posting a $35.5 billion first-quarter profit, reflecting gains from stocks such as Apple.

On the other end, regional banks' shares stretched gains from a rebound on Friday, with PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) jumping 19.9% after the lender sharply cut its quarterly dividend to boost capital. Shares of such banks tumbled for much of last week on worries tied to the collapse of First Republic Bank. "We're in an information vacuum right now, waiting for the next inflation data. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc's Class B shares rose 1.2% after posting a $35.5 billion first-quarter profit, reflecting gains from stocks such as Apple. The S&P index recorded seven new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 31 new highs and 23 new lows.

☆ 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.

☆ Here are Friday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, Coinbase, Western Alliance, Playboy, SolarEdge & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Morgan Stanley reiterates Apple as overweight Morgan Stanley said Apple is "delivering under pressure" after its earnings report on Thursday. Guggenheim upgrades Portillo's to buy from neutral Guggenheim said it sees multiple expansion for the restaurant chain. Goldman Sachs downgrades Atlassian to neutral from buy Goldman said the company's "cloud transition [is] likely taking longer than expected." UBS upgrades Shopify to neutral from sell UBS said in its upgrade of Shopify that it sees revenue upside. Jefferies initiates Playboy Group as buy Jefferies said it sees "significant upside" for the adult themed global media and lifestyle company.

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.

☆ 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.

☆ 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.

☆ 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, 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.

☆ 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.

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.

☆ Western Alliance stock surges as results allay deposit fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Noel Randewich | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

April 19 (Reuters) - Shares of Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL.N) surged 24% on Wednesday after the U.S. regional bank posted stronger-than-expected earnings and said its deposits had stabilized, helping allay fears that last month's banking crisis could envelop more lenders. Wedbush Securities raised its rating on Western Alliance to "outperform" from "neutral" and added the bank to its "Best ideas list", among stocks including Apple (AAPL.O) and Microsoft (MSFT.O). Western Alliance's results soothed concerns about the stability of regional banks following worst U.S. banking crisis since 2008. The rally in Western Alliance following its report stood out among several regional banks that have posted quarterly results this week. Western Alliance's stock remains down over 40% from early March, before Silicon Valley Bank's collapse.

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