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The Institutional Risk Analyst
© 2003-2025 | Whalen Global Advisors LLC All Rights Reserved in All Media | ISSN 2692-1812
Banks | Markets | Finance
R. Christopher Whalen
Sep 2, 202412 min read
Recession? Consumer Lenders: AX, AXP, ALLY, Barclays, COF, SOFI, SYF
Axos continues to rebound after the bear raid by Hindenburg Research. AX ranked 18th in the WGA Bank Top Index in Q3 2024 vs 98th for SOFI
721 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Aug 25, 20247 min read
Universal Banks: Should TD Buy Schwab & Sell Its US Operation?
SCHW needs to take advantage of their strong operating leverage and repair some needless damage done during COVID by inept bank management.
723 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Aug 18, 20249 min read
The Top Seven Banks: JPM, BAC, C, WFC, USB, PNC & TFC
Banks lose money every single day by holding onto a below market security from the 2019-2021 period.
693 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Aug 5, 20245 min read
Wine, Grapes & Inflation; WGA Bank Top 50 Index Q3 2024
The WGA Bank Top 50 is, well, the top half of the population, but far better in quality than the bottom quartile.
657 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Aug 2, 20248 min read
Stocks Swoon, Retail Credit Rises: PYPL, SQ & ARES
The rotation away from institutional investors to retail funding source for the $1.7 trillion direct lending market is an ominous sign
603 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jul 27, 20248 min read
Update: New York Community Bank & Mr. Cooper
Joe Otting does not seem to understand the value of the Flagstar correspondent lending and mortgage servicing business...
630 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jul 24, 20245 min read
Update: CapitalOne Financial & PennyMac Financial Services
Of note, PFSI has been growing share in wholesale, a direct challenge to UWMC
341 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jul 18, 20246 min read
Update: Pinnacle Financial & Synthetic Credit Risk Transfer
We hear in the channel that banks with festering multifamily exposures are paying north of 10% for similar CRT transactions.
808 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jul 17, 20245 min read
Bank Earnings: JPM, BAC, AX, GS & SCHW
GS saw loss provisions fall slightly in Q2 2024 to $282 million but the number was still $600 million in the first half of the year...
478 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jul 11, 20245 min read
Earnings Setup: Consumer Lenders | ALLY AXP AX BCS COF SOFI SYF
The first comment to make is that consumer defaults are rising across the board. The only question we need to consider is the rate of change
539 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jul 7, 202410 min read
Goldman Sachs Fails Fed Stress Test
Notice that the Fed stress test is silent on trillions of dollars in mark-to-market losses facing US banks from COVID-era securities
3,148 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jul 3, 20247 min read
Who Leads the Asset Gatherers? | SCHW, MS, GS, AMP, RJF & SF
The larger banks led the way in January and February, but today the top 25 names in terms of total return include many smaller banks.
603 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jul 1, 20248 min read
USSC Kills Chevron | Zombie Banks Pass Stress Tests?
The Fed bank stress tests are another sign of magical thinking in Washington.
914 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jun 23, 20249 min read
Q2 2024 Earnings Setup: JPM, BAC, WFC, C, USB, PNC, TFC
Citigroup leads the pack with a net loss rate of 133 basis points (bp) that is almost five times the average for Peer Group 1 at 27 bp.
1,439 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jun 17, 20246 min read
Update: BMO + Bank of the West = ?
BMO arguably has the weakest reserve position among the large Canadian banks....
986 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jun 12, 20249 min read
Will Credit Risk Transfer Save the Banks? Are MSRs Overvalued?
How much in synthetic CRT transactions will be done in 2024? Our best guess is many hundreds of billions globally...
765 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jun 7, 20246 min read
Faux Bear Raids on OZK and AX? But More Trouble Ahead for CRE Equity
We remind readers that unrealized losses on securities are still a bigger problem for banks than CRE.
630 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jun 4, 20246 min read
Inside the Private Credit Trade
Direct lenders are the pawnbrokers of the 21st Century for subprime commercial borrowers, usually firms financed via leveraged buyouts.
1,230 views
R. Christopher Whalen
Jun 2, 20242 min read
WGA Releases Bank Quarterly Q2 2024
The unrealized losses on COVID era securities remain a huge problem for banks large and small, especially if long-term interest rates rise
793 views
R. Christopher Whalen
May 28, 20247 min read
Inflation & CRE Deflation Too? UMB Financial + Heartland = ?
With a budget deficit projected to be $1.8 trillion in 2024, the odds of the FOMC actually controlling inflation are pretty low.Â
767 views
Christopher Whalen
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