S&L Redux: Men in Black at IndyMac?

New York Senator Chuck Schumer caught some flack last week for leaking his concerns about IndyMac to the press. Perhaps imprudent, but probably prescient. The FDIC is certainly looking very closely at the bank’s books after a mini bank-run last week.

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IndyMac’s insured deposits grew 91%(!) in the year ending March 31st. As their equity has been hit by massive losses, and as “other” sources of financing have dried up, IndyMac has plugged the holes with new consumer deposits. They are attracting these deposits despite their questionable financial condition by offering interest rates among the highest in the nation. [Incidentally, much of the increase in IndyMac's deposits are of the controversial "brokered" variety. These have more than tripled over the last year to $6.9 billion.]