Stocks closed higher on Thursday after 11 banks pledged to bolster deposits at First Republic Bank. This news provided a much-needed boost of confidence in the market, and stock futures remained relatively flat following the announcement.
The pledge from these major financial institutions was made to provide support for First Republic’s liquidity needs during this difficult economic period. The bank has been struggling with increased loan defaults as businesses have had difficulty staying afloat due to the pandemic-induced recession.
This move by the banks is being seen as a positive sign that there are still avenues available for companies facing financial distress, even if they don’t qualify for government assistance programs like Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans or other stimulus packages designed specifically to help small businesses survive during this time of crisis. It also serves as an indication that large corporations are willing and able to step up when necessary to keep our economy functioning properly despite current challenges faced by many industries across America today.
Overall, investors seem cautiously optimistic about what this means going forward; however, only time will tell how successful these efforts will be towards helping First Republic remain viable over long-term periods of stress and uncertainty brought on by COVID-19-related issues plaguing our nation right now.
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