Bove Thinks Big Bank Break Up Might Generate Shareholder Value If Done Correctly

Commercial bank lending has falling off a cliff in 2017, Wall Street Journal analysis shows, but income derived from trading at the banks continues to remain strong. Just how are those vaunted balance sheets at the largest banks really being used? These are just several of the questions that bedevil the big banks as bi-partisan talk in Washington DC centers on reviving the Glass-Steagall Act, which would prohibit commercial banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) from affiliating with investment banks engaged in trading. Banking analyst Dick Bove, in an April 8 notes, has a view that seeks…