Silicon Valley Bank’s shares have tanked, causing panic in the financial sector to spread from Wall Street to Europe and Asia. This comes after the lender announced it would sell shares at a loss in order to cover rapidly declining customer deposits.
Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) Financial Group, a bank which lends primarily to tech companies, told investors on Mar. 9 that it was forced to sell almost $2 billions in shares to raise additional capital to help offset bond sale losses.
The news quickly triggered massive losses across the banking sector and raised concerns that the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate hikes were preventing banks from raising capital.
Before last year, when interest rates were near zero, large banks were buying up U.S. Treasurys and bonds, but the rise in the federal fund rate has since weakened their value, while banks sit on increasing losses.
Since banks tend to hold large portfolios of bonds, their decline is normally not a problem unless they are forced to sell them.
U.S. government bonds surged after the California lender sold off shares to cover bond losses, leading to more worries over the banking sector’s debt holdings.
Bank Stock Values Plunge Across the Board
The news from the tech industry lender quickly caused a knock-on effect on Thursday, as banking stocks fell at their fastest pace since the first months of the pandemic, taking Wall Street’s major indexes down with them.
SVB shares tumbled more than 60 percent and lost another 20 percent in after-hours trading, in the worst decline in the sector, after CEO Greg Becker admitted the bank could be dealing with problems for the foreseeable future.
Meanwhile, America’s four largest banks lost more than $50 billion in market value at the end of trading on Mar. 9.
Shares of JPMorgan Chase fell 5.4 percent, while Bank of America took a 6.2 percent hit, Wells Fargo was down 6.2 percent, and Citigroup tumbled 4.1 percent.
Bank stocks in Europe and Asia sold off sharply the following day, as news surrounding SVB Financial spread to markets across the world.
The Euro Stoxx Banks Index witnessed its worst day since June 2022, led by Deutsche Bank, which saw an 8 percent loss, followed by Société Générale, HSBC, ING Groep, and Commerzbank, which all fell more than 5 percent.
“Lots of chatter today about the possibility of generalized U.S. banking system stress due to SVB troubles. Three summary things on this: While the U.S. banking system as a whole is solid, and it is, that does not mean that every bank is,” stated economist Mohamed A. El-Erian in a tweet.
“Due to the volatility in yields after the prior protracted period of leverage-enabling policy, the most vulnerable currently are those vulnerable to both interest rate and credit risk. Contagion risk and the systemic threat can be easily contained by careful balance sheet management and avoiding more policy mistakes,” he continued.
Meanwhile, U.S. and European bond yields fell to their lowest level in weeks, after investors bet that turmoil in the bank sector could reduce the ability of the Fed to keep hiking interest rates.
Silicon Valley Lender’s Bonds Lose Value to Rising Interest Rates
The interest-rate hikes over the past year have also caused value of its bonds to fall, particularly those that took many years to mature, forcing the bank to reinvest the proceeds from its sales into shorter-term assets.
SVB has suffered significant losses on its portfolio, which was heavily invested in U.S. Treasurys and mortgage-backed securities, which have all taken a beating.
The 40-year-old bank was forced into a fire sale of its securities on Thursday, dumping $21 billion worth of holdings at a $1.75 billion loss while raising $500 million from venture firm General Atlantic, according to a financial mid-quarter report on Mar. 8.
SVB additionally reported more than $90 billion in held-to-maturity securities.
Its recent losses have caused American startup firms, particularly venture-backed tech and life sciences companies, to feel the pinch, as the bank caters heavily to these new firms.
Higher interest rates, fears of a recession, and a tepid market for initial public offerings have made it harder for new startups to raise additional capital in the past year.
The lender’s 2022 third quarter report stated it was partnered with nearly half of all venture-backed tech and health care companies based in the United States.
“The failure of @SVB_Financial could destroy an important long-term driver of the economy as VC-backed companies rely on SVB for loans and holding their operating cash. If private capital can’t provide a solution, a highly dilutive gov’t preferred bailout should be considered,” warned Pershing Square CEO Bill Ackman in a tweet.
“After what the Feds did to @jpmorgan after it bailed out Bear Stearns, I don’t see another bank stepping in to help @SVB_Financial,” he added.
Investors were worried ahead of today’s employment report from the Department of Labor, which they hope will provide some hint on the Fed’s next policy moves.
SVB Reassures Investors That Things Are Fine
The collapse of SVB’s stock value comes shortly after a key lender for the cryptocurrency industry, Silvergate Capital, announced liquidation plans on Mar. 8, following the implosion of FTX, which used the bank to transfer customer funds.
However, the bank said in its letter to investors that it had minimal exposure to crypto, but analysts are still concerned that not all is well at SVB.
Becker reassured investors that their assets were safe and that the stock sale was only an attempt to increase financial flexibility, strength, and profitability at the bank, but the current market situation has caused pressure to its “balance of fund flows.”
The bank cited higher interest rates and “elevated cash burn from our clients” at a historically elevated level and less investments from venture capital, are the primary reasons for raising new capital.
Becker said the bank has “ample liquidity” to support its clients “with one exception: If everybody is telling each other that SVB is in trouble, that will be a challenge.”
He asked clients to “stay calm. That’s my ask. We’ve been there for 40 years, supporting you, supporting the portfolio companies, supporting venture capitalists.”
SVB’s mid-quarter update reported a low ratio of loans to deposits, at 43 percent, which leaves little protection in the wake of a share-price selloff over the coming days.
If startups panic and begin pulling funds from SVB due to concern about its financial health, this could exacerbate the mismatch in deposits and withdrawals, increasing pressure on the bank.
Still, one expert believes the problem goes deeper than just investors getting spooked by SVB and that it is more systemic.
“Why this sudden meltdown in bank stocks? Small banks face a double whammy: Less ”financial liquidity” (reserves) in the system, disproportionately affecting them, a tougher funding landscape, with plenty of safer and higher-yielding alternatives for depositors. This is the real issue, [in my honest opinion],” said Alfonso Peccatiello, founder and CEO of TheMacroCompass, in a tweet.
Article cross-posted from our premium news partners at The Epoch Times.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
