WASHINGTON -- Bank and thrift regulators seem to be tougher talkers than graders when it comes to Community Reinvestment Act examinations.
During the first half of this year, 93% of CRA ratings released by the four federal regulators were "outstanding" or "satisfactory" - the top two of the four grades.
Only 10 of the 2,606 lenders, or 0.4%, got the lowest score, "substantial noncompliance."
1% Receive Lowest Rating
In 1992, 90% were outstanding or satisfactory, and 58 of 5,602 institutions examined, about 1%, got the worst rating.
The compilation was done by CRA/HMDA Update, a Bethesda, Md., newsletter.
Each agency's CRA ratings improved in the first six months of 1993. The FDIC gave out the highest grades, awarding "outstandings" or "satisfactories" to 95% of the banks it examined.
Also in those categories were 92% of banks examined by the Federal Reserve and 90% of those regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
The Office of Thrift Supervision gave the top two grades to 87% of the 358 thrifts it examined, and none was in "substantial noncompliance."
Ratings were highest in Wisconsin and Iowa, with 99% of lenders in the top two groups. The lowest were in Maryland, were 35% received one of the two lowest CRA grades, and New Jersey, with 27% in those categories.
