Last year was supposed to be about moving on from the financial crisis of two years ago, but there were plenty of lingering aftereffects that kept banking on shaky footing. “Estrangement” was the operative word for the relationship between financial institutions and their corporate customers. CFOs that didn’t get balance-sheet support from their banks looked to switch providers, and they went to nonbank financiers and the bond markets for capital.
To be fair, banks were preoccupied with their own problems — sweeping regulatory reform and the continued cleanup of toxic assets. Both banks and corporates hope for a better 2011, as industry consolidation progresses and the uncertainty around reform lessens. Stay tuned.
New Bank Wanted
Dissatisfied small and midsize companies are inviting competitive bids for their banking business.
FASB Exposure Draft Alarms Bank CFOs
Revisions to accounting for financial instruments make no sense for originate-and-hold institutions, bankers say.
Why It’s Hard to Get a Loan
Defaults on commercial real estate loans threaten the stability of U.S. banks.
Lien on Me
CFOs eager to fill financing and liquidity gaps are turning to receivables for leverage.
The Calm Before Reform
With sweeping new legislation, companies (and their banks) try to gauge the impact.
Third Try for Basel
Will the new international capital standards be more effective than previous versions at preventing bank meltdowns?
Trained in Risk
The CFO of USAA draws on her experience as an actuary to keep the financial-services firm out of harm’s way.
Balance Sheets Are Busting Out All Over
About $1.2 trillion in off-balance-sheet assets could end up on the balance sheets of banks that have yet to claim them, or “on no one’s balance sheet.”
Spreadsheets and Banking Fee Deductions
Determining whether “success-based” banking fees are deductible in M&A transactions takes some patience.
Are Your Payment Systems Secure?
The rise in fraud related to Automated Clearing House payments puts businesses and their banks at risk.