WASHINGTON - (09/01/04) -- The 14 basis-point spread betweennet interest margin and operating expenses at credit unions duringthe second quarter of 2004 is the narrowest spread seen in 10years. According to Callahan & Associates, which performed theanalysis, the ever-narrower spread combined with greater operatingexpenses is putting more pressure on credit unions to focus onefficiency gains within their organizations.In 1994, the spread wasat 80 basis points, Callahan's said. "Competition has been anongoing factor in the 47 basis point decline in net interest marginsince 1994, and the low interest rates of the past three years haveintensified the margin pressures," said Callahan's EVP Jay Johnson."A continuation of this trend will soon mean that the margin willno longer be large enough to cover operating expenses in creditunions."
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Synovus Financial demonstrated at an industry conference how it is using Microsoft's Copilot to help its staff address customers' concerns.
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The U.S. arm of Spanish banking giant Santander has hired Swati Bhatia to oversee retail banking and its digital transformation efforts. Bhatia joins at "an inflection point" for the company, which aims to be "a digital bank with branches," CEO Tim Wennes said.
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Mariya Rosberg is named Americas head of banking and financial services at Marsh McLennan's Oliver Wyman unit; startup ZayZoon raised $15 million in a new funding round; and more in the weekly banking news roundup.
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Last year, the Raleigh, N.C.-based Integrated called off a deal to sell itself to MVB Financial after bank stocks took a hit in the aftermath of the regional bank failures. Capital hopes to expand its government-guaranteed lending with the transaction.
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Once a prominent figure spurring financial institutions to engage in cryptocurrency, Bankman-Fried's downslide began with the collapse of the digital asset exchange FTX in late 2022 and hit rock bottom with his sentencing to 25 years in prison.
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But the 30-year fixed rate mortgage is still near 7%, and that remains the overhang on the housing market, Freddie Mac said.
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