The U.S. is seeing the biggest spike in demand for cold, hard cash since the Y2K “bug” panic of 1999, as customers of U.S. banks and credit unions have made big withdrawals to brace themselves for coronavirus fallout.
According to data by the Federal Reserve, the number of banknotes in circulation rose by $35 billion, from $1.808 trillion on March 11 to $1.843 trillion on March 18.
Last week the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the agency that insures bank deposits and protects customers from any losses, urged people to keep their cash in the bank. FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams told Cheddar Wednesday that money in insured institutions will be safe, "even if we need to go above and beyond the bank assets to pay out depositors and then replenish the funds.”
The FDIC historically has insured customer deposits up to $250,000 per depositor at FDIC-insured institutions.
McWilliams said the agency doesn’t currently anticipate any bank failures directly resulting from the coronavirus pandemic and that despite the spike in cash withdrawals the FDIC isn’t worried about the system or financial stability of the U.S. The big banks themselves have also insisted they won’t need bailouts.
Nevertheless, the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill, signed into law on Friday, includes a provision allowing the FDIC to insure deposits that total more than $250,000.
Updated March 31 to clarify that the FDIC does not anticipate any bank failures directly resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.
What do Arnold Schwarzenegger, Aubrey Plaza, and Tom Brady all have in common? You'll see them on Super Bowl Sunday, but not on the field. If you only watch the Super Bowl for the ads, here's a sneak peek.
The Federal Communications Commission knows (to loosely quote Drake) "when that [AI robocall] hotline bling, that can only mean one thing" — deception. The agency says bad actors have been using these voices to misinform voters.
David Stryzewski, CEO of Sound Planning Group, breaks down Disney’s latest results, from adding Taylor Swift to building out ESPN, and why Bob Iger’s leadership is crucial.
Kevin Cohee, CEO and chairman of OneUnited Bank, discusses the power of financial literacy and how education and technology can help bridge the racial wealth gap.
Alex McGrath, Chief Investment Officer at NorthEnd Private Wealth, discusses why the A.I. hype can’t power the market forever and how to position investments in the current market.
Paul Verna of Insider Intelligence breaks down how the company is positioned, whether they can make their streaming service profitable, and the upper limit of streaming bundle prices.
From Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to Sweet Heat Starburst, America’s snacks are getting spicier. Now, Coca-Cola wants in on the trend. The beverage giant introduced Coca-Cola Spiced, the first new permanent offering to its North American portfolio in three years.
Taylor Swift’s camp is hitting Jack Sweeney, a junior at the University of Central Florida, with a cease-and-desist letter that blamed his automated tracking of her private jet for tipping off stalkers as to her location.