“Scrambling.”
That was the single-word reply I received from a contact in the White House when I asked what the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was doing today about failed Silicon Valley Bank. Then, Bloomberg confirmed what many expected would be happening this weekend:
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. kicked off an auction process late Saturday night for Silicon Valley Bank, with final bids due by Sunday afternoon, according to people familiar with the matter.
The FDIC is aiming for a swift deal but a winner may not be known until late Sunday, according to one person, who asked to not be identified because the matter isn’t public. No final decision has been made and it’s possible that no deal may be reached, said the people.
Representatives for the FDIC didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours. Silicon Valley Bank collapsed into FDIC receivership on Friday, after its long-established customer base of tech startups grew concerned and yanked deposits.
As I noted in an article this weekend about the potential for Twitter to buy SVB, the logistics of buying and selling a bank are far less complicated than acquisitions of other similar-sized businesses. The roadmap for breaking apart and selling off a bank has been used many times in recent decades. It’s just a whole lot of paperwork.
We should hear who the new owners of Silicon Valley Bank are by Sunday evening. It behooves the FDIC and the White House to get this debacle resolved ahead of markets opening on Monday.
At Last, a Company With Integrity in the Gold IRA Industry
For several years, I’ve been vetting out precious metals companies in search of the best. I believe in gold and silver but it’s hard to find integrity in the Gold IRA industry. The vast majority operate with shady tactics and gigantic spreads that take advantage of Americans who simply want to protect their life’s savings.
I’ve found a handful that I like and I’ve worked with some of them. By no means would I “unrecommend” them because, again, I vetted them out and found them to be above the fold. Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to be better than the rest when the rest are so darn awful.
After years of searching, I finally found a company that truly operates with integrity. Augusta Precious Metals has three important attributes that set them far above the competition:
- Non-Commissioned Sales Team: I cannot stress how important and unique this is. With just about every other company in the Gold IRA industry, the sales teams make commission from every account they open. This means they steer their clients toward the gold and silver products with the highest commission. With Augusta Precious Metals, the team is solely focused on putting the best gold and silver for their clients into their IRA. They get paid to serve the best interests of the Gold IRA client, NOT their own commission pay.
- Incredibly Low Fees: Most Americans would be shocked if they knew the spread other Gold IRA companies charge. Augusta charges just 5% versus up to 45% elsewhere.
- No Pressure, No Gimmicks: There’s an understanding among most in the Gold IRA industry that fear and pressure is the way to go. Augusta Precious Metals takes a sober approach when working with clients because they hold integrity in the highest possible regard. This is why they don’t offer gimmicks like “free” or “bonus” silver. It’s also why they do not apply pressure tactics to get quick sales. Their educational and transparent approach to doing business is exceedingly rare in the Gold IRA industry.