{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Credit Union Regulatory Guidance Including: NCUA, CFPB, FDIC, OCC, FFIEC","title":"GAO: FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANKS Role During Financial Stress and Members' Borrowing Trends and Outcomes","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/3fbdfd8b\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":555,"description":"\"Most banks maintained relatively consistent reliance on Federal Home Loan Bank advances — including during periods of financial stress.\"— Government Accountability OfficeThe GAO just dropped a detailed report examining the Federal Home Loan Bank system during COVID-19 and the March 2023 banking stress.Here's what they actually found (without the noise):What the data shows:• FHLBank advances functioned as a stabilizing liquidity tool — not a risk amplifier• Especially true for institutions under $10 billion in assets• Consistent usage patterns even during stress periods• No evidence of panic borrowing or destabilizing effectsWhy it matters: While everyone was wringing their hands about liquidity risk, most community institutions used FHLBanks exactly as designed — as a reliable backstop when deposits got shaky.The real takeaway: For smaller institutions, FHLBank membership provided stability when they needed it most. Not a crutch. Not a risk factor. Just a tool that worked.I've posted a ~9-minute audio summary walking through what the GAO actually found.🎧 Listen at MarkTreichel.com or on your favorite podcast app (Samantha Shares).Translation: FHLBanks did their job. The system worked as intended.","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/DblKo84_Ha6-XOQnfj5k1wmxCkQHeB53BeeKc2eI7dM/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzQ4MTk5LzE3MDM4/NTQxOTktYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}