by Calculated Risk on 7/09/2011 02:43:00 PM

Note: this is an unofficial list of Problem Banks compiled only from public sources. This post includes an update to stress rates at the state level (see comments and sortable table at bottom).

Here is the unofficial problem bank list for July 8, 2011.

Changes and comments from surferdude808:

The FDIC decided to send Chairman Bair off with a small salute by closing three banks this Friday. The failures were in Colorado and Illinois, but given the 65 failures in the state of Georgia on Chair Bair’s watch, perhaps it may have been more fitting to have another failure in Georgia. This week there were four additions and three removals. The changes result in the Unofficial Problem Bank List having 1,004 institutions with assets of $418.8 billion.

The removals are the three failures this week including First Chicago Bank & Trust, Chicago, IL ($959 million); Colorado Capital Bank, Castle Rock, CO ($718 million); and Signature Bank, Windsor, CO ($67 million).

The additions include Greeneville Federal Bank, FSB, Greeneville, TN ($207 million); Worthington Federal Bank, Huntsville, AL ($177 million); Pacific Global Bank, Chicago, IL ($162 million); and Belt Valley Bank, Belt, MT ($65 million).

Other changes this week include Prompt Corrective Action Orders issued against Bank of the Commonwealth, Norfolk, VA ($1.0 billion Ticker: CWBS); and American Eagle Savings Bank, Boothwyn, PA ($21 million). Next week we anticipate for the OCC to release its actions through mid-June 2011.

And a related article from Dow Jones: US Bank Failures Abate In 1st Half But Likely To Stay Elevated

U.S. bank failures have slowed in 2011 from the flood of recent years, but a large reservoir of problem banks will keep the failure rate relatively high as regulators slog through the backlog.

Yes, quite a backlog!

Earlier:
• Summary for Week Ending July 8th

Employment posts yesterday:
• June Employment Report: 18,000 Jobs, 9.2% Unemployment Rate
• Employment Summary, Part Time Workers, and Unemployed over 26 Weeks
• Return of the Teen! and Unemployment by Duration and Education
• Employment graph gallery

by Calculated Risk on 7/09/2011 08:21:00 AM

The key story of the week was the June employment report - and the report was dismal.

There were only 18,000 total payroll jobs added in June, and 57,000 private sector payroll jobs. Also the BLS revised down April and May payrolls showing 44,000 fewer jobs were added than previously reported.

Basically every number was ugly: The unemployment rate increased from 9.1% to 9.2%, and the participation rate declined to 64.1%. The employment population ratio fell to 58.2%, matching the lowest level during the current employment recession. U-6, an alternate measure of labor underutilization that includes part time workers and marginally attached workers, increased to 16.2%, the highest level this year.

The average workweek declined slightly to 34.3 hours, and average hourly earnings ticked down.

As I noted yesterday, the only good news was that June is over.

Europe was also in the news, with more discussions about Greece, and bond yields rising sharply for Portugal, Ireland and even Italy. The results of the European bank stress tests will be released this coming Friday, and the European financial crisis will remain headline news.

Finally Reis released their Q2 office, mall and apartment vacancy rates. Apartment vacancy rates are declining, office vacancy rates are moving sideways, and mall vacancy rates are still increasing.

There wasn't much data last week, but it sure finished ugly.

Below is a summary of economic data last week mostly in graphs:

• June Employment Report: 18,000 Jobs, 9.2% Unemployment Rate

Click on graph for larger image in graph gallery.

This graph shows the job losses from the start of the employment recession, in percentage terms aligned at the start of the recession.

In this post, the graph showed the job losses aligned at maximum job losses.

In terms of percentage payroll jobs, the 2007 recession is by far the worst since WWII.

This graph shows the employment population ratio, the participation rate, and the unemployment rate. The unemployment rate increased to 9.2% (red line).

The Labor Force Participation Rate declined to 64.1% in June (blue line). This is the percentage of the working age population in the labor force. This is the lowest level since the early '80s when

The Employment-Population ratio declined to 58.2% in June (black line). This ties the lowest level during the recession.

The number of workers only able to find part time jobs (or have had their hours cut for economic reasons) increased slightly to 8.552 million in June.

These workers are included in the alternate measure of labor underutilization (U-6) that increased to 16.2% in June from 15.8% in May. This is the highest level this year (highest since December 2010).

The next graph shows the duration of unemployment as a percent of the civilian labor force.

The graph shows the number of unemployed in four categories: less than 5 week, 6 to 14 weeks, 15 to 26 weeks, and 27 weeks or more.

Two key categories are moving up again. The 27 weeks and more (the long term unemployed) has moved up for two consecutive months and is now at 6.3 million workers, or 4.1% of the labor force.

Also, the 'less than 5 weeks' category is increasing again and that indicates recent weakness in the labor market.

Here are the employment posts from yesterday:
1) June Employment Report: 18,000 Jobs, 9.2% Unemployment Rate
2) Employment Summary, Part Time Workers, and Unemployed over 26 Weeks
3) Return of the Teen! and Unemployment by Duration and Education
4) Employment graph gallery

• ISM Non-Manufacturing Index indicates slower expansion in June

From the Institute for Supply Management: June 2011 Non-Manufacturing ISM Report On Business®

The June ISM Non-manufacturing index was at 53.3%, down from 54.6% in May. The employment index increased in June to 54.1%, up from 54.0% in May. Note: Above 50 indicates expansion, below 50 contraction.

This graph shows the ISM non-manufacturing index (started in January 2008) and the ISM non-manufacturing employment diffusion index.

This was below the consensus forecast of 54.0%.

• Reis: Office, Mall and Apartment Vacancy Reports

Reis reported the Q2 office, mall and apartment vacancy rates. Apartment vacancy rates are declining, office vacancy rates are moving sideways, and mall vacancy rates are still increasing.

This graph shows the office vacancy rate starting in 1991.

Reis reported the office vacancy rate was at 17.5% in Q2 2011, the same rate as in Q1, and up from 17.4% in Q2 2010. It appears the office vacancy rate might have peaked - and is now moving sideways. It will be a good sign when the vacancy rate starts falling.

From Reuters: Sluggish economy slows US office market rebound

Reis reported that the apartment vacancy rate (82 markets) fell to 6.0% in Q2 from 6.2% in Q1. The vacancy rate was at 7.8% in Q2 2010 and peaked at 8.0% at the end of 2009.

From the WSJ: Rents Rise, Vacancies Go Down

This graph shows the apartment vacancy rate starting in 2005.

Reis is just for large cities, but this decline in vacancy rates is happening just about everywhere.

From Reuters: US mall vacancies rise in 2nd quarter, rents flat

"Preliminary figures by real estate research firm Reis show the vacancy rate at ... regional malls rose to 9.3 percent ... up from 9.1 percent in the first quarter. ... The vacancy rate at these local retail strips was 11 percent versus 10.9 percent in the first quarter, almost matching the 11.1 percent record set 20 years ago"

• Other Economic Stories ...
• From the American Bankruptcy Institute: Consumer Bankruptcy Filings Down 8 Percent Through the First Half of 2011
• From National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB): NFIB Jobs Statement: June is a Bust, but July Looks Hopeful
• ADP: Private Employment increased by 157,000 in June

Have a great weekend!

by Calculated Risk on 7/08/2011 10:28:00 PM

From the WSJ: Greek Bailout Talks Shift to Attack on Debt

Discussions between bankers and government officials about Greece have undergone a fundamental shift in recent days, turning toward reducing the country's mountainous debt burden instead of just staving off a near-term financial crisis ... Finance ministers from the 17 nations that use the euro are expected to discuss the proposals at a meeting Monday in Brussels. They are expected to debate options that they previously discarded, including the use of European bailout funds to finance purchases of Greek debt.

The key is to reduce the debt. This is similar to the problem mortgage lenders face in reducing mortgage principal - it might make sense for one borrower, but then many other borrowers will want a principal reduction.

If Greece gets a debt reduction, Portugal, Ireland, Spain and Italy will all get in line. Every one likes free money.

Some more from the Financial Times: EU leaders differ over Greek default

Here are the earlier employment posts:
• June Employment Report: 18,000 Jobs, 9.2% Unemployment Rate
• Employment Summary, Part Time Workers, and Unemployed over 26 Weeks
• Return of the Teen! and Unemployment by Duration and Education
• Employment graph gallery

by Calculated Risk on 7/08/2011 08:02:00 PM

Signature panic
"Where can we turn for more cash?"
Go Points West, young man.
by Soylent Green is People
From the FDIC: Points West Community Bank, Julesburg, Colorado, Assumes All of the Deposits of Signature Bank, Windsor, Colorado

As of March 31, 2011, Signature Bank had approximately $66.7 million in total assets and $64.5 million in total deposits ... The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $22.3 million. ... Signature Bank is the 51st FDIC-insured institution to fail in the nation this year, and the 4th in Colorado.

by Calculated Risk on 7/08/2011 07:16:00 PM

A fairwell send off
It's been tough but nicely done
Best to you Ms. Bair

Capital combust
Chicago concurrently
Cashless corpses crash
by Soylent Green is People
Farewell to Sheila Bair.

From the FDIC: Northbrook Bank & Trust Company, Northbrook, Illinois, Assumes All of the Deposits of First Chicago Bank & Trust, Chicago, Illinois

As of March 31, 2011, First Chicago Bank & Trust had approximately $959.3 million in total assets and $887.5 million in total deposits ... The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $284.3 million. ... First Chicago Bank & Trust is the 49th FDIC-insured institution to fail in the nation this year, and the fifth in Illinois.

From the FDIC: First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company, Raleigh, North Carolina, Assumes All of the Deposits of Colorado Capital Bank, Castle Rock, Colorado

As of March 31, 2011, Colorado Capital Bank had approximately $717.5 million in total assets and $672.8 million in total deposits ... The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $283.8 million. ... Colorado Capital Bank is the 50th FDIC-insured institution to fail in the nation this year, and the third in Colorado.

by Calculated Risk on 7/08/2011 06:04:00 PM

A top European analyst put out a research note last night calling Italy "the elephant in the room". Those fears sent the Italian 2 year yield to 3.5% - nothing compared to Greece, Portugal and Ireland, but a significant increase. The 10 year yield increased to 5.3%.

From the LA Times: Italy and Spain rocked by fears of spreading debt 'contagion'

The “contagion” that has forced Greece, Ireland and Portugal to seek bailouts from the rest of Europe now is threatening Italy, as investors demand ever-higher interest rates on Italian government bonds.

The yield on two-year Italian bonds surged to 3.51% on Friday, the fifth straight increase and up from 3.32% on Thursday. On Monday the yield was 3.04%.

Likewise, Spanish two-year government bond yields jumped to 3.77% on Friday from 3.66% on Thursday and 3.35% on Monday.

The next round of European bank stress tests will be released next Friday, from Dow Jones: EU Fears For Stress Test Credibility As Deadline Nears

Under the terms of the tests, banks that fail to prove that they can preserve a certain capital ratio in the event of a severe downturn are supposed to fill the gap, at the latest, within six months of the results being published. That date has now been confirmed as next Friday, July 15.

In the event that those ailing the test also find themselves unable to raise the required capital, national governments are supposed to step in with "backstop mechanisms" to recapitalize or restructure the banks in question.

There are fears about some of the large Italian banks, however from the Dow Jones article:

Mario Draghi, the incoming president of the European Central Bank, said Friday that he is sure that the five Italian banks taking the test will pass "with [a] rather meaningful, significant margin."

I'm sure people will be asking if the stress tests were credible.

Here are the links for bond yields for several countries (source: Bloomberg):

Greece	2 Year	5 Year	10 Year
Portugal	2 Year	5 Year	10 Year
Ireland	2 Year	5 Year	10 Year
Spain	2 Year	5 Year	10 Year
Italy	2 Year	5 Year	10 Year
Belgium	2 Year	5 Year	10 Year
France	2 Year	5 Year	10 Year
Germany	2 Year	5 Year	10 Year