by IslandCrow » Fri 28 Aug 2009, 01:03:40
More trouble on the way, although this report indicates that the FDIC is not out of money (yet):
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he number of problem US banks rose to the highest level in 15 years between April and June, the industry's regulator has revealed.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) said 416 banks had failed its test criteria during the quarter, up 111 from January to March.
It added that 81 US banks had now been forced to close this year.
The FDIC judges banks on criteria such as the quality of their outstanding loans and the reserve funds they hold.
The regulator said that due to the large number of failed banks, its deposit insurance fund - which safeguards up to $250,000 (£154,000) per personal bank account - had fallen by 20% between April and June to $10.4bn (£6.4bn).
While this was the lowest the fund has been since 1992, FDIC chairman Sheila Bair said she had no plans as yet to ask the Treasury for more funds.
However, she said it was likely that banks would have to pay an additional fee to help replenish the fund.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8225743.stmLast quarter: 111 banks failed the test and now 81 were forced to close.
Using the same ratio with 416 banks failing the test
we can expect another 300 banks to be forced to close in the near future. [I know it is dangerous to assume that things will continue 'on a straight' line, but this playing with the numbers gives some indication of the scale of the problem]
We should teach our children the 4-Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rejoice.