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☆ Futures edge higher as SVB deal soothes bank fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SummarySummary Companies Futures up: Dow 0.31%, S&P 0.34%, Nasdaq 0.17%March 27 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures edged higher on Monday after a buyout deal for failed Silicon Valley Bank's deposits and loans helped soothe some jitters around severe stress in the banking sector. First Citizens BancShares Inc (FCNCA.O) said on Monday it will acquire parts of Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB.O), the collapse of which earlier this month marked the largest bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis, unleashing fears about a liquidity crunch in the sector. Other regional banks Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL.N) and PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) also climbed 5.4% and 9.2%, respectively. Shares of major U.S. banks JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), Citigroup (C.N) and Bank of America (BAC.N) advanced between 0.8% and 1.4%. While the Silicon Valley Bank deal has helped instill some confidence in the banking sector's stability, concerns about a bigger crisis have not abated completely, analysts said.

Shares of major U.S. banks JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), Wells Fargo (WFC.N) and Bank of America (BAC.N) dropped more than 2% in premarket trade. Shares of regional lenders First Republic Bank (FRC.N), PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O), Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL.N) and Truist Financial Corp (TFC.N) fell between 2.1% and 2.8%. European banks also came under pressure, with a report of a U.S. probe on Credit Suisse and UBS (UBS.N) further souring the mood. ET, Dow e-minis were down 304 points, or 0.94%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 31.5 points, or 0.79%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 59 points, or 0.46%. Reporting by Amruta Khandekar and Ankika Biswas; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Vinay DwivediOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Wall Street ends volatile week higher as Fed officials ease bank fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Wall Street is taking its cues from Washington and other capitals as it relates to interest rates and banking regulations." "The Fed may be jaw-boning a bit as it says more rate increases may be coming this year," JPMorgan's Carter added. Worries over potential contagion beyond regional banks threatening to spread to their larger peers was sparked by a sell-off of European bank shares. While the S&P Bank index (.SPXBK) ended modestly lower, the KBW Regional Bank index (.KRX) jumped 2.9%. Regional lenders PacWest Bancorp , Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL.N) jumped 3.2% and 5.8%, respectively, while First Republic Bank (FRC.N) dropped 1.4%.

The fresh price falls in Europe came as investors were looking to see how far U.S. authorities would go to shore up the banking sector, particularly fragile regional lenders. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo 1 2CDS surge on banking sector turmoilUBS CHALLENGESThe global banking sector has been shaking since the sudden collapse this month of SVB and Signature Bank. But the worries spread quickly, and on Sunday UBS (UBSG.S) was rushed into taking over Swiss rival Credit Suisse after it lost the confidence of investors. Separate sources told Reuters that UBS has promised retention packages to Credit Suisse wealth management staff in Asia to stem a talent exodus. Standard Chartered (STAN.L) Chief Executive Bill Winters said on Friday the wipeout of Credit Suisse bondholders had "profound" implications for global bank regulations.

☆ Wall St ends higher as Yellen vows actions to safeguard deposits
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"The market as a whole is telling you is there are a lot of different ways to interpret all the things people are saying." Interest rate hikes by central banks around the world have stressed the banking sector, which became manifest with the recent failures of SVB Financial Group (SIVB.O) and Signature Bank (SBNY.O). Comments from the Bank of England that inflation will probably quickly fade also helped fuel hopes of light at the end of the central bank tightening tunnel. "Every central bank that was on path to raise rates raised them," GLOBALT's Martin added. Shares of First Republic Bank (FRC.N) dropped in volatile trading in the wake of Yellen's testimony.

☆ Wall Street rallies on hopes of Fed policy pause
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Today the market is bouncing back on what was a dovish Fed hike yesterday," said Ross Mayfield, investment strategy analyst at Baird in Louisville, Kentucky. "Powell did a good job sticking to the party line on inflation and continued to jawbone hawkish even though the hike leaned dovish." Comments from the Bank of England that inflation will probably quickly fade also helped fuel hopes of light at the end of the central bank tightening tunnel. Among the 11 sectors of the S&P 500, communication services (.SPLRCL) and tech (.SPLRCT) led the percentage gainers. The S&P 500 posted four new 52-week highs and 14 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 45 new highs and 197 new lows.

Traders' bets are almost equally split between the Fed pausing its rate hikes in May and another 25 bps hike, according to CME Group's Fedwatch tool. Communication services (.SPLRCL) and information technology (.SPLRCT) led the gains among the S&P 500 sector indexes, all of which rose, except utilities (.SPLRCU). Bank of America (BAC.N) and UBS (UBS.N) now see the Fed funds rate target peaking at 5-5.25% in May compared to earlier forecasts of 5.25-5.5%. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 3.62-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and 3.27-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded one new 52-week high and five new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 17 new highs and 27 new lows.

Bank of America (BAC.N) and UBS (UBS.N) now see the Fed funds rate target peaking at 5-5.25% in May compared to earlier forecasts of 5.25-5.5%. Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) rose 1.9% after Needham raised its price target on the chipmaker on likely benefit from near-term data center strength. ET is expected to show a rise in jobless claims last week, hinting at some cooling in labor demand. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (REGN.O) jumped 8.6% on promising results on its blockbuster asthma drug Dupixent from a lung disease trial. Reporting by Amruta Khandekar and Ankika Biswas in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza and Vinay DwivediOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Futures climb as hopes of a Fed pause gain steam
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Federal Reserve raised rates by 25 basis points, as expected, on Wednesday but its policy statement no longer said "ongoing increases" would likely be appropriate. ET, Dow e-minis were up 158 points, or 0.49%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 27.5 points, or 0.69%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 123.25 points, or 0.97%. Those pre-market gains helped boost futures for the tech-heavy Nasdaq. ET is expected to show a rise in jobless claims last week, hinting at some cooling in labor demand. Reporting by Amruta Khandekar; Editing by Savio D'SouzaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell sought to reassure investors about the soundness of the banking system, saying that the management of Silicon Valley Bank "failed badly," but that the bank's collapse did not indicate wider weaknesses in the banking system. "These are not weaknesses that are running broadly through the banking system," he said, adding that the takeover of Credit Suisse seemed to have been a positive outcome. The Federal Open Market Committee policy statement also said the U.S. banking system is "sound and resilient." The much-anticipated rate cut by the Fed, which had delivered eight previous rate hikes in the past year, sought to balance the risk of rampant inflation with the threat of instability in the banking system. The banking sector has been in turmoil after California regulators on March 10 closed Silicon Valley Bank in the largest U.S. bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis.

ET (1800 GMT), with investors keenly awaiting Chair Jerome Powell's conference at 2:30 p.m. Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., March 16, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidHowever, a scramble by troubled regional U.S. lender First Republic Bank (FRC.N) to secure a capital infusion has kept alive some worries about the banking sector. Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 1.13-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.44-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded one new 52-week high and six new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 27 new highs and 75 new lows.

The latest move to restore calm to restive regional bank stocks came as Pacific Western Bank (PACW.O), one of the regional lenders caught up in the market volatility, said it had raised $1.4 billion from investment firm Atlas SP Partners. While that deal brought some respite to battered banking stocks, First Republic (FRC.N) remains firmly in the spotlight. For now, the rescue of Credit Suisse appears to have calmed the worst fears of systemic contagion, boosting shares of European banks (.SX7P) and U.S. lenders (.SPXBK). Reuters Graphics Reuters Graphics'HEAD IN SAND'The wipeout of Credit Suisse's Additional Tier-1 (AT1) bondholders has sent shockwaves through bank debt markets. Seeking to boost confidence among investors rattled by its $3 billion Credit Suisse rescue, UBS said on Wednesday it would buy back 2.75 billion euros ($2.96 billion) worth of debt it issued less than week ago.

March 22 (Reuters) - U.S. authorities are set to explore ways to bolster financial stability, along with steps to tackle the problems facing First Republic Bank, as central banks assess whether turmoil in banking makes interest rate rises less pressing. SVB's collapse kicked off a tumultuous 10 days for banks which led to the 3 billion Swiss franc ($3.2 billion) Swiss engineered takeover of Credit Suisse by rival UBS (UBSG.S). While that deal brought some respite to battered banking stocks, U.S. lender First Republic (FRC.N) remains firmly in the spotlight. Reuters Graphics Reuters Graphics'HEAD IN SAND'The wipeout of Credit Suisse's Additional Tier-1 (AT1) bondholders has sent shockwaves through bank debt markets. For now, the Swiss bank rescue appears to have assuaged the worst fears of systemic contagion, boosting shares of European banks (.SX7P) and U.S. lenders (.SPXBK).

The U.S. central bank's two-day policy meeting will end at 2 p.m. ET to gauge the central bank’s rate-hike trajectory. U.S. Treasury yields rose, with the yield on the two-year note, which best reflects interest rate expectations, last at 4.212%. Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 1.56-to-1 ratio on the NYSE a 1.75-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded no new 52-week high and four new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 13 new highs and 34 new lows.

But an unexpected jump in UK inflation last month led investors to bet heavily that the Bank of England will raise interest rates by at least another 25 bps on Thursday. SVB's collapse kicked off a tumultuous 10 days for banks which led to the 3 billion Swiss franc ($3.2 billion) Swiss regulator-engineered takeover of Credit Suisse by rival UBS. While that deal brought some respite to battered banking stocks, U.S. lender First Republic remains firmly in the spotlight. First Republic (FRC.N) shares fell 9% in extended trade on Tuesday, having surged as much as 60% at one stage. For now, the Swiss bank rescue appears to have assuaged the worst fears of systemic contagion, boosting shares of European banks (.SX7P) and U.S. lenders (.SPXBK).

The U.S. central bank's two-day policy meeting will end at 2 p.m. ET (1800 GMT), with investors keenly awaiting Fed Chair Jerome Powell's conference at 2:30 p.m. ET to gauge the central bank’s rate-hike trajectory. While the central bank is likely to continue its hiking cycle with a 0.25% move, we think the guidance for future meetings will be considerably more open," said Gabriele Foà, co-portfolio manager at Algebris Investments. ET, Dow e-minis were up 24 points, or 0.07%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 1.5 points, or 0.04%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 12.75 points, or 0.1%.

☆ Futures edge lower on caution ahead of Fed rate decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The expected rate hike of 25 basis points is a turnaround from the steep 50 basis points rate rise anticipated before the recent banking turmoil, triggered by the recent collapse of two regional banks. Markets will also be watching out for a news conference by Fed Chair Jerome Powell following the interest rate decision, looking for cues about the central bank's future path in his commentary. U.S. Treasury yields inched lower amid the cautious mood, with that on the two-year note last at 4.13%. ET, Dow e-minis were down 57 points, or 0.17%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 9.5 points, or 0.24%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 54.75 points, or 0.43%. Shares of GameStop Corp (GME.N) jumped 38.9% after the company posted a surprise profit for the fourth quarter, helped by lower costs and job cuts.

The Fed's relentless rate hikes to rein in inflation have been partly blamed for sparking the biggest meltdown in the banking sector since the 2008 financial crisis. For now, Credit Suisse's rescue appears to have assuaged the worst fears of systemic contagion, boosting shares of European banks (.SX7P) and U.S. regional lenders. The S&P 500 banks index (.SPXBK) rallied 3.6%, its largest one-day gain since November. Still, Australia's prudential regulator has started asking the country's banks to declare their exposure to startups and crypto-focused ventures following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, according to the Australian Financial Review. Market cap of US regional banks included in the S&P 500 regional bank indexDeputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said a review of the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and rival Signature Bank was in order.

☆ First Republic shares volatile as capital infusion remains in limbo
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 22 (Reuters) - Shares of First Republic Bank (FRC.N) were volatile in morning trading on Wednesday as the regional lender struggled to raise capital amid worries that it may need to downsize or seek government support. Major banks and private equity firms have so far balked at infusing capital on fear of losses on the bank's loan book and investment portfolio following a rapid rise in interest rates. The bank's shares flitted between gains and losses and were last up 3.6% at 10:31 a.m. Shares have lost roughly 87% of their value so far this month. Reporting by Manya Saini and Amruta Khandekar in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj KalluvilaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Wall St ends sharply lower as Powell warns inflation fight continues
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The three major U.S. stock indexes, which were mostly directionless prior to the Fed announcement, jumped higher then deflated as investors digested the accompanying statement and Chair Jerome Powell's subsequent Q&A session. Worries persist that the Fed's aggressive battle against inflation could tip the economy into recession, and recent turmoil in the banking sector, sparked by failures of SVB Financial Group (SIVB.O) and Signature Bank (SBNY.O), have exacerbated those fears. All 11 major sectors of the S&P 500 ended the session deep in negative territory, with real estate (.SPLRCR) suffering the steepest percentage drop, its largest one-day plunge since Sept. 13. The S&P 500 posted six new 52-week highs and 13 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 44 new highs and 179 new lows. Volume on U.S. exchanges was 11.84 billion shares, compared with the 12.70 billion average over the last 20 trading days.

☆ Wall Street ends green on bank bounce as Fed takes focus
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Still, despite its recent resurgence, the S&P Banks index has lost more than 18% of its value just this month. "The Fed will raise interest rates by 25 basis points and the market won't care," Pursche added. Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., March 20, 2023. The S&P 500 posted 5 new 52-week highs and 2 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 48 new highs and 114 new lows. Volume on U.S. exchanges was 11.75 billion shares, compared with the 12.63 billion average over the last 20 trading days.

March 20 (Reuters) - Shares of U.S. lender First Republic tumbled nearly 50% on Monday on fears it will need a second rescue to stay afloat, bucking a broader rally in bank shares driven by UBS Group's state-backed takeover of Credit Suisse. "First and foremost, the Credit Suisse, UBS merger certainly takes a lot of stress out of the global banking system." The 3 billion Swiss franc ($3.2 billion) deal for the troubled Swiss bank - which was once worth more than $90 billion - was engineered by Swiss regulators and announced on Sunday. European bank shares (.SX7P) rebounded from recent losses, while on Wall Street the S&P 500 banks (.SPXBK) index recovered 0.6%. [1/2] Buildings of Swiss banks UBS and Credit Suisse are seen on the Paradeplatz in Zurich, Switzerland March 20, 2023.

☆ Wall St ends higher as bank contagion fears ease, Fed eyed
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Caroline Valetkevitch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

UBS late on Sunday agreed to buy rival Credit Suisse (CSGN.S), for $3.23 billion, in a merger engineered by Swiss authorities to avoid more turmoil in the banking group. The S&P Banking index (.SPXBK) and the KBW Regional Banking index (.KRX) were higher following sharp losses last week. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank (SBNY.O) shook markets earlier this month. "Where it is another bank coming in, that is the kind of headline that helps underpin confidence in the banking system," Krosby said. The Credit Suisse takeover helped the market, but U.S.-listed shares of Credit Suisse were down sharply on Monday, while UBS Group shares were up.

Traders have raised bets of the Fed likely hitting a pause on rate hikes on Wednesday to ensure financial stability as bank sector troubles triggered by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank (SBNY.O) threaten to snowball. Over the weekend, UBS (UBS.N) agreed to buy rival Credit Suisse for $3.23 billion, in a merger engineered by Swiss authorities to avoid more market-shaking turmoil in global banking. U.S.-listed shares of Credit Suisse plummeted 48.5% to hit a fresh record low, while UBS reversed premarket declines to rise 7.8%. PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) jumped 21% after the bank said deposit outflows had stabilized, while New York Community Bancorp (NYCB.N) also gained 33% after the bank's unit agreed to buy deposits and loans from Signature Bank. The S&P Banking index (.SPXBK) and the KBW Regional Banking index (.KRX), which on Friday had logged their largest two-week drop since March 2020, rose 1.4% and 3.2%, respectively, in early trade.

Over the weekend, UBS (UBS.N) agreed to buy rival Credit Suisse for $3.23 billion, in a shotgun merger engineered by Swiss authorities to avoid more market-shaking turmoil in global banking. U.S.-listed shares of Credit Suisse were down 58.4% in premarket trading and set to open at a fresh record low, while those of UBS were down 3.6%, as focus shifted to the hit to some Credit Suisse bondholders from the acquisition. "Investors are still worried about the banking industry, even though UBS has agreed to take over Credit Suisse. Regional bank First Republic Bank (FRC.N) was down 19.1% after paring some declines, while peer Western Alliance Bancorp (WAL.N) edged 0.7% lower. The S&P Banking index (.SPXBK) and the KBW Regional Banking index (.KRX) on Friday logged their largest two-week drop since March 2020.

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