Bank Failure Friday - just a small one

Bank Failure Friday has just one reporting this week.

Pinehurt Bank, Minnesota. Cost to the FDIC: $6 million.

The FDIC also released it's quarterly report. A negative $20.7 billion in the deposit insurance fund was considered a positive.

The number of institutions on the FDIC's "Problem List" rose to 775, up from 702 at the end of 2009. In addition, the total assets of "problem" institutions increased during the quarter from $403 billion to $431 billion. These levels are the highest since June 30, 1993, when the number and assets of "problem" institutions totaled 793 and $467 billion, respectively, but the increase in the number of problem banks was the smallest in four quarters. Forty-one institutions failed during the first quarter. Chairman Bair noted that the vast majority of "problem" institutions do not fail.

The Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) balance improved for the first time in two years. The DIF balance – the net worth of the fund – increased slightly to negative $20.7 billion, from negative $20.9 billion (unaudited) on December 31, 2009. The fund balance reflects a $40.7 billion contingent loss reserve that has been set aside to cover estimated losses. Just as banks reserve for loan losses, the FDIC has to set aside reserves for anticipated closings. Combining the fund balance with this contingent loss reserve shows total DIF reserves of $20 billion. Total insured deposits increased by 1.3 percent ($70.0 billion) during the first quarter.

The FDIC's liquid resources – cash and marketable securities – remained strong. Liquid resources stood at $63 billion at the end of the first quarter, a decline from $66 billion at year-end 2009. To provide the funds needed to resolve failed institutions in 2010 and beyond without immediately reducing the industry's earnings and capital, the FDIC Board approved a measure on November 12, 2009, that required most insured institutions to prepay approximately three years' worth of deposit insurance premiums – about $46 billion – at the end of 2009.

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