#Khan – Federal Financial Analytics

20 02, 2024

DAILY022024

Eliza Allen2024-02-20T17:06:56-05:00February 20th, 2024|2- Daily Briefing|

Waters Fails to Muster Meaningful Democratic Capital-Proposal Protest

Late Friday, HFSC Ranking Member Waters (D-CA) released another letter from Democrats protecting the pending capital proposals.

Fed Study: CBDC Impact on Dollar Dominance, Payment System Depends on Many Decisions

A new Fed staff study finds that a U.S. CBDC would have only a marginal impact on the dollar’s role as the reserve currency and within the payment system, although this conclusion depends on a raft of decisions now being made about other CBDCs and the cross-border payment system.

Sanders Targets BlackRock’s Market Power

We will shortly provide clients with an update on Congressional reaction to the C1/Discover merger earlier today, but here draw client attention to a new letter from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), sure also to be among the credit-card consolidation’s fiercest critics.

Brown Presses Powell for Enforceable Ethics Standards

Senate Banking Chair Brown today renewed his campaign against Fed conflict-of-interest policies, sending another letter to Chair Powell arguing that the Fed’s recent internal-investment and ethics standards are unenforceable.

Initial Response to C1/Discover Merger Starts M&A Debate

With Congress in recess, political response to the Capital One/Discover merger has been muted in terms of sparse comments, but fiery when it comes to Sen. Warren (D-MA).

Daily022024.pdf…

25 01, 2024

DAILY012524

Shane Smith2024-01-25T16:50:12-05:00January 25th, 2024|2- Daily Briefing|

Fed Surprisingly Slams the BTFP’s Doors

At an unusual time and on a day that does not comport with the usual timelines for Fed action, the Board last night unanimously announced it will shutter the Bank Term Funding Program as scheduled on March 11.

Basel Head Backs U.S. Regulators

In response to waves of recent letters pushing back on the Basel III capital rules, Basel Committee Secretary General Esho defended Basel III, arguing that there is little evidence that Basel III implementation will have a detrimental effect on banking and economic growth

FTC Tackles AI Inter-Connections, Concentration

Following remarks by FTC Chair Khan making clear that there is no “AI exception” to lawful behavior, the FTC announced that it has issued orders to Alphabet, Amazon, Anthropic, Microsoft, and OpenAI requiring them to provide their recent investment and partnership information involving gen-AI companies and major CSPs.

CFTC Kicks Off Financial-Agency AI Assessment

Just as it did years ago with climate risk (see Client Report GREEN4), the CFTC took the lead among U.S. financial regulators with respect to AI.

Daily012524.pdf…

5 10, 2023

DAILY100523

Eliza Allen2023-10-05T16:36:40-04:00October 5th, 2023|2- Daily Briefing|

Kanter, Khan Mount Stout Defense of Draft Merger Guidelines

FTC Chair Khan and DOJ Assistant AG Kanter today defended the agencies’ draft merger guidelines (see FSM Report MERGER12) on grounds that they are faithful to congressional intent, reflect core legal principles, are more accessible and easier to apply, and better reflect the modern competitive landscape.

Basel Plans NBFI Ops-Risk Supervisory Standards, Continuing Review of Bank Supervision, New Disclosures

The Basel Committee today released its long-awaited report on 2023 vulnerabilities, deciding based on it to prioritize new supervisory approaches and additional analytical tools.

Bipartisan Bill Provides Transaction Account Deposit Insurance

Following Chairman Gruenberg’s remarks yesterday highlighting targeted deposit insurance reform, Sens. Manchin (D-WV), Braun (R-SD), and Hickenlooper (D-CO) yesterday introduced legislation to reinstate the Transaction Account Guarantee (TAG) program, expanding deposit insurance to non-interest bearing transaction accounts up to $10 million.

FDIC Proposes Public-Good Policy for IDI Corporate Governance

The FDIC today announced the Board’s 3-2 approval of an NPR establishing guidelines on corporate governance and risk management for FDIC-supervised IDIs with over $10 billion in assets.

Daily100523.pdf…

22 12, 2022

DAILY122222

Eliza Allen2022-12-22T16:43:24-05:00December 22nd, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

Waters Blasts ICE/BKI Merger

Although HFSC Chair Waters (D-CA) frequently opposes large-bank mergers, her stand today against the ICE/Black Knight deal is the first time we can recall her taking a public stand on a transaction before the Federal Trade Commission (outside HFSC’s jurisdiction).

Toomey Sets Agenda for GOP Fed Reform

Among his parting shots, Senate Banking Ranking Member Toomey (R-PA) yesterday introduced legislation to reform the Federal Reserve System.

Toomey Also Tries to Set Stablecoin Agenda

In another effort to set the terms of debate before he departs, Senate Banking Ranking Member Toomey (R-PA) also introduced a new version of his initial stablecoin legislation (see FSM Report CRYPTO27).

Warren Doubts Zelle’s Fraud Policy Changes

Continuing her campaign against Zelle fraud, Sen. Warren (D-MA) today sent a letter to the CEO of Zelle’s parent company demanding a briefing on pending efforts to compensate consumers for fraudulent transfers.

CFPB Cites ARM Risks, Rewards

The CFPB today issued a consumer alert describing the risks associated with various mortgage products during a period of rising interest rates.

Project Hamilton Ducks CBDC-Feasibility Decision

The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston today announced the completion of its Project Hamilton work with MIT on a U.S. CBDC.

Fed to Reconsider Key Bank-Control Criteria

Although the banking agencies today reiterated that their policy is not generally to require reporting of loans to potentially controlling principal-fund complexes or banks that meet passivity requirements, the Fed will now reconsider relevant rules in this sector.

Daily122222.pdf…

18 01, 2022

Daily011822

Arezou Rafikian2023-04-24T13:38:11-04:00January 18th, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

FinCEN Takes Cautious Steps to AML Innovation
In remarks just released today, Acting FinCEN Director Him Das largely revisited recent FinCEN actions in response to Congressional requirements.

Brown Lays Out Fed Confirmation Plan
Senate Banking Chairman Brown (D-OH) today told press that he will accelerate hearings on Fed-nominees Bloom Raskin, Cook, and Jefferson as well as seek floor time in early February. He did not make it clear if he hopes to package all these nominations with Mr. Powell’s in hopes that this will provide additional votes, but Senate procedure requires votes on each nomination even if all are taken up together.

DOJ/FTC Propose Structural Antitrust Rewrite
Although the Department of Justice already has opened the door for public comment on bank mergers (see FSM Report MERGER10), it and the Federal Trade Commission today sought comment on the entire U.S. antitrust construct.

Daily011822.pdf…

17 12, 2021

Daily121721

Arezou Rafikian2023-05-22T15:52:04-04:00December 17th, 2021|2- Daily Briefing|

Partisan Battle to Have Lasting FDIC Impact– HFSC Chairwoman Waters (D-CA) reiterated her opposition to FDIC Chair McWilliams’ decision to quash the merger RFI circulated by FDIC Board Democrats (see FSM Report MERGER9), highlighting her recent letter to bank regulators calling for a moratorium on all bank mergers over $100 billion and saying again that these threaten community banks, small businesses, and consumers.

FSOC: Systemic Risk Elevated, Much Work in Progress
FSOC met to consider its annual stability report, which strikingly differs with the Fed’s more sanguine view of systemic risk (see Client Report SYSTEMIC92).

DOJ Redefines M&A Outlook
Even as partisan warfare continues over the Democratic merger RFI (see FSM Report MERGER9), the Department of Justice has irrevocably altered the M&A outlook by reopening its 2020 request for comment (see Client Report MERGER5).

GAO: Alternative Data’s Potential Stymied by Risks, Uncertainties
The GAO issued a report on the potential for alternative data to expand mortgage access for borrowers with minimal credit histories, concluding that current uncertainties and risks limit fair and effective use.

Daily121721.pdf…