The Banker Next Door

BND: Strategy Room 11-23-2024

The Banker Next Door (BND) weekly live stream show. Strategy Room provides financial news, commentary, top stories in the business world, economic indicators, and all things banking for the week.

Episode 273: Special Report: Federal Home Loan Banks under fire!

This episode is a special report as the Federal Home Loan Banking System (FHLB) is under fire from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The FHFA is seeking to radically change the FHLB system by pushing a dramatic increase in affordable housing, climate change, and DEI politics. The episode examines multiple papers and reports to explain the chain of events that have led to this moment. The episode also reviews the history of the FHLB, their members, and why the FHLB should be left alone. Links to the reports are included below.  
Link: Federal Home Loan Banks and Financial Stability | Journal of Financial Regulation | Oxford Academic
Link: FHLBank-System-at-100-Report.pdf | FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY
Link: GAO-24-106957: Federal Home Loan Banks: Actions Related to the Spring 2023 Bank Failures
Link: summary-of-fhlb-system-at-100-report.pdf

Episode 272: New SBA Covid EIDL Servicing Center (CESC) and MySBA Loan Portal

This episode looks at recent announcements from the SBA on the creation of a new Covid EIDL Servicing Center (CESC) and a new website called MySBA Loan Portal. If you need help with an SBA EIDL loan you can contact the CESC by phone (833-853-5638) or by email at covidEIDLservicing@sba.gov. Borrowers can register through the MySBA Loan Portal enrollment page at  https://lending.sba.gov/

Episode 271: Liquidation pressures led to Republic First Bank failure!

This episode examines a recent report from the FDIC Office of the Inspector General on what caused the failure at Republic First Bank earlier this year. The main reasons stated for the failure include unrealized losses in the bank’s bond portfolio, the inability to utilize secondary credit sources, several failed capital raises, and a dysfunctional board of directors. The main take away is that having unrealized losses in your investment portfolio is a very risky situation for a bank to find itself in. One misstep can lead to a catastrophe. A link to the report is included below.  
Link: EVAL-2025-01 Material Loss Review of Republic First Bank.pdf

Episode 270: How are U.S. unbanked households doing?

This episode examines a recent report by the FDIC on unbanked and underbanked households in the U.S. The report shows positive trends as the number of unbanked households in the U.S. continues to decline. The report also displays some very interesting data including the usage of mobile banking, the use of various payment channels, and for the first time, the use of buy now pay later. A link to the report is included below.
Link: 2023 FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households | FDIC

Episode 269: Yellen continues market manipulation!

This episode examines a recent article from the Epoch Times (subscription required) titled “US Treasury plans to borrower $1.37 Trillion over next 6 months.” As the shell game of moving around debt to finance the governments out of control spending continues, the Treasury is losing control of interest rates. Janet Yellen has been manipulating Treasury auctions for over a year and is going to leave a colossal mess for the next Treasury Secretary. This episode follows the events covered in episode 207: U.S. Treasury is manipulating interest rates. A link to episode 207 and a link to the article are included below.
Link: US Treasury Plans to Borrow $1.37 Trillion Over Next 6 Months | The Epoch Times
Link: Episode 207: U.S. Treasury is manipulating interest rates! https://joeberq.podbean.com/e/episode-207-us-treasury-is-manipulating-interest-rates/?token=11d877d4d39e2725b4e1885a612c3f97
 

BND: Strategy Room 11-16-2024

The Banker Next Door (BND) weekly live stream show. Strategy Room provides financial news, commentary, top stories in the business world, economic indicators, and all things banking for the week.

Episode 268: Tether in trouble and bank crypto update (Crypto Series Part XII)

This episode examines several articles from The Wall Street Journal and S&P Global concerning recent troubles with Tether, Provident Bancorp, and Customers Bancorp. Federal investigators are probing whether Tether has possible violations of anti-money laundering and sanctions rules. We also update on previously reported situations with Provident and Customers Bancorp. A link to The Wall Street Journal article is included below.
Link: Exclusive | Federal Investigators Probe Cryptocurrency Firm Tether - WSJ

Episode 267: What is your capital plan?

This episode examines a recent article from Bank Director titled “Always have a plan in place for raising capital.” This article asks the question, what is your bank’s plan for either selling stock or issuing debt to raise capital? Having adequate capital on hand is critical for banks for several reasons. First, you need a certain amount of capital for regulatory compliance. Second, you need capital to protect against potential credit losses. Third, you need capital for future growth. Fourth, you need capital to take advantage of potential M&A opportunities as they arise. Will your bank be able to respond to opportunities when the time comes? A link to the article is included below.   
Link: Always Have a Plan in Place for Raising Capital | Bank Director

Episode 266: A De Novo success, the story of Pinnacle Financial Partners

This episode examines a recent article from Bank Director titled “Exclusive: An interview with Pinnacle Financial Partners’ CEO and Chairman.” This article is an interview with the CEO and Chairman of Pinnacle Financial Partners which tells their story from start up bank to a successful $50 billion dollar asset financial institution. What does it take to start a bank from scratch and make it successful? A link to the article is included below.
Link: Exclusive: An Interview With Pinnacle Financial Partners’ CEO and Chairman | Bank Director