Summary
US banks continue to garner headlines—almost a year removed from the heart of the regional crisis, and with the looming end of the Fed’s program to help stop the bleeding. Commercial real estate’s challenges remain—as does the pressure on banks, which delivered a healthy share of capital. All the while, the Basel III endgame nears.
But a bigger story has been afoot: the incredible shrinking US bank sector. Its numbers, which have withered for decades, are the lowest in over a century. The current environment should accelerate that decline, raising multi-trillion-dollar questions: Why? What does it mean for consumers and investors?