Ira Artman

What's in Store for Regional Banks?

Thank you all for comments to date.

1. Re: Forecast from "prominent source" that suggests that nationwide home price decline has started to moderate.

Don't believe it myself. What I DO believe is that NY Metro market will lag the nation, both down and up.

2. Many of comments are on small vs big banks, and that was "issue" that I discussed in earlier post referenced in this one. Link here:

seekingalpha.com/artic...

3. As implied by that post/link, rate cuts of agency securities (i.e., guaranteed in one way or another) caused by Fed buying of same will force community banks to continue to emphasize whole loans, and non mortgage assets, even if - as economy weakens - they would prefer (at margin) to consider "guaranteed" assets. More trouble ahead, as losses then roll through, which I guess is part of "master plan."

Ugh.