Cap Markets

As with most things related to 2020, COVID-19 will be a deciding factor as the Federal Reserve considers whether banks are able to increase their dividends or resume share buybacks.

The regulator is expected to finalize a rule this week allowing credit unions to issue subordinated debt to outside institutional investors. That's bad public policy, the American Bankers Association writes.

Waterfall Bank, which has ties to an investment group that handles affairs for family offices, would be based in the Tampa Bay area.

A program that lets firms bundle Small Business Administration loans is on hold while Congress spars over a new budget. The impasse is causing headaches for banks that rely on loan sales for fee income.

Democrats called the decision by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin "misguided," arguing that it's too soon to shutter the Federal Reserve's emergency-lending programs. Republicans say the programs have run their course and should expire a the end of the year.

Freddie Mac representatives would not comment on the sudden resignation of Brickman. Interim CEO Michael Hutchins has served as Freddie’s executive vice president of investments and capital markets since January 2015.

JPMorgan Chase dropped one rung on the Financial Stability Board’s annual rankings of systemically important banks to sit alongside Citigroup and HSBC Holdings as one of the world’s three most important banks.

Many small banks are reactivating repurchase programs, signaling that capital levels remain strong and credit issues are under control.

Temporary policy responses have mitigated problems in the short-term funding markets related to the pandemic, but permanent fixes may be necessary in some areas, the agency said in a report.

Integrity Bank for Business is being pursued by a group with ties to Heritage Bankshares, which was sold in 2016.