Support the fact-based journalism you rely on with a donation to Marketplace today. Give Now!

From This Collection

Banks may become more selective about who gets loans

Mar 21, 2023
The collapse of SBV could lead to increased scrutiny around potential risks for banks.
After the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, financial institutions may become more selective about who gets loaned money.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

All eyes are on the Federal Reserve's next move in this "wobbly" economic moment

Mar 20, 2023
The inflation threat calls for one type of action, and the banking turmoil calls for another. How will the Fed respond?
Chairman Jerome Powell and other policymakers at the central bank will reveal their interest rate decision Wednesday. The Fed is also taking steps to stabilize the condition of regional banks and protect depositors.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Is Switzerland still synonymous with safe banking?

Mar 20, 2023
Switzerland’s reputation for secure, secret banking goes back to at least WW I. But its banks have changed over time, with mixed results.
UBS was reportedly worried that if Credit Suisse went bankrupt, it could have threatened the image of Swiss banking.
Fabric Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

Are bank supervisors, or bank rules, too lax?

Mar 20, 2023
Do banking rules need tightening? Do supervisors need better training and greater powers? The answer will influence what comes next.
Politicians and lobbyists are debating whether Silicon Valley Bank collapsed due to a regulatory or supervisory failure. Above, Sen. Charles Grassley confers with Sen. John Cornyn during a Finance Committee hearing.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Smaller banks keep a close watch over their liquidity

Mar 20, 2023
One concern: People will put their money in a bigger bank. But there's a good reason to leave it in smaller institution, one banker says.
If more people get anxious about the banking system, they may start withdrawing their money, said University of Alabama law professor Julie Hill.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images