Stress Test Results Are In

OK if you absolutely have to have all of the stress test information here is the link for you. It’s from the Fed but it’s carried on the WSJ website. All sorts of explanations, graphs and most of all the bank specific data.

No doubt you know that banks are announcing new secondary offerings, asset sales, preferred stock conversions and several kitchen sink sales as they trip all over themselves to comply or appear to comply with the burdens that have been placed on some of them. 

Keep in mind that they have 30 days to come up with a plan to meet the requirements imposed and 6 months after that to actually accomplish the plan. I suspect that some may not be in all that big a hurry to actually raise the money. Tell the Treasury what you intend to do and then see what the future brings. With a little luck you might be able to go back and argue things have changed enough to obviate the need to raise capital.

If there was one thing that jumped out at me it was that some of the smaller regional banks on the list are going to have to raise a lot more capital relative to their size than are the big guys. These banks are also where you start to see commercial real estate as the biggest problem sector. This seems ominous for the banks on down the line. It could be the real story of the rest of the year in the banking sector is going to be in the regionals and community banks.

Just an aside but New York Fed Chairman Stephen Friedman has resigned. This is the guy that was caught with his hand in the cookie jar or so it appears with some sketchy trades in Goldman stock.

Have fun with the Fed document.

Update: Here are links to statements by Geithner and Bernanke on the results.

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