Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: JPMorgan Chase, Fifth Third Bancorp, U.S. Bancorp, Zions Bancorp and SunTrust Banks - Press Releases

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – December 22, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB), U.S. Bancorp (USB), Zions Bancorp (ZION) and SunTrust Banks (STI).

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Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:

U.S. Bank Failures Touch 140 in 2009

In the third quarter of 2009, the number of banks on the FDIC's list of problem institutions grew to 552 from 416 in the second quarter. This is the highest since 1993. Increasing loan losses on commercial real estate are expected to cause hundreds more bank failures in the next few years.

The FDIC anticipates bank failures to cost about $100 billion over the next four years. In order to replenish the depleting fund, the FDIC board recently mandated U.S. banks to pay fees for three years in advance.

Also, the regulators are considering requesting the healthy banks to bail out the government as soon as it is necessary to refill the deposit insurance fund. The FDIC also has access to the Treasury Department credit line of up to $500 billion.

The failure of Washington Mutual last year was the largest in U.S. banking history. It was acquired by JPMorgan Chase (JPM). The other major acquirers of failed institutions since 2008 include Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB), U.S. Bancorp (USB), Zions Bancorp (ZION) and SunTrust Banks (STI).

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