Do banks care if you lean conservative?

Summary

Marketplace Morning Report: "Do Banks Care if You Lean Conservative?"

Release Date: August 6, 2025

In this episode of the Marketplace Morning Report, host David Brancaccio delves into pressing economic and business issues, offering insightful analysis and expert opinions. The episode covers three main topics: allegations of political discrimination by banks, the impact of compounding pharmacies on major weight loss drug companies, and an exploration of August's notorious reputation in the stock market. Below is a detailed summary of the discussions, complete with notable quotes and timestamps.

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1. Allegations of Political Discrimination in Banking

Timeframe: [01:09] – [04:35]

David Brancaccio introduces the conversation with reports suggesting a possible executive order aimed at investigating whether banks discriminate against customers based on political affiliations. This topic stems from longstanding complaints by some conservatives who allege that banks have denied them services due to their political or religious views.

Key Points:

• President Donald Trump's Claims: President Trump asserted in a CNBC interview that two large banks refused his deposits after he left office in 2021. However, he did not provide specific evidence to support these claims.

  • Henry Epp: "President Donald Trump himself claimed in a CNBC interview on Tuesday that two large banks turned down his deposits after he left office in 2021. He did not cite specific evidence for those claims." ([01:27])

• Banks' Response: Major banks have denied engaging in political discrimination. Instead, they have blamed regulatory pressures, suggesting that existing regulations have made it challenging to serve certain customer segments.

  • Henry Epp: "Large banks have denied that they discriminate on political grounds, but they in turn have pointed the finger at regulators whose rules they say have discouraged them from working with certain customers." ([01:45])

• Regulatory Changes: In June, the Federal Reserve announced that it would no longer consider "reputational risk" in its supervision of banks. This shift means that banks would not be penalized for potential negative publicity or lawsuits related to account closures.

  • Henry Epp: "In June, the Federal Reserve said that it would no longer consider reputational risk in its supervision of banks, meaning the potential for bad publicity or lawsuits." ([02:05])

• Consumer Complaints: An analysis by the Senate Banking Committee revealed that over 8,000 individuals filed complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in the past three years, alleging improper account closures. While there is evidence of banks turning away customers, the motivations behind these actions do not clearly stem from political reasons.

  • Henry Epp: "There is evidence that banks turn away customers, though not clearly for political reasons." ([02:20])

Conclusion: The discussion highlights a complex interplay between alleged political discrimination and regulatory frameworks. While conservatives have voiced concerns, the evidence linking bank actions directly to political biases remains inconclusive.

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2. Impact of Compounding Pharmacies on Weight Loss Drug Stocks

Timeframe: [02:27] – [04:35]

Shifting focus, David Brancaccio addresses the recent decline in stock prices of major weight loss drug manufacturers, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, attributing part of the downturn to competition from compounding pharmacies.

Key Points:

• Stock Performance: Novo Nordisk's stock has plunged by 34% over the past week and a half, while Eli Lilly's stock has decreased by nearly 6% in the same timeframe.

  • David Brancaccio: "The stock price of the wegovy company Novo Nordisk based in Denmark, down 34% over the last week and a half. Stock in the Zeppbound company Eli Lilly of Indianapolis, down nearly 6% over that time." ([02:27])

• Role of Compounding Pharmacies: Compounding pharmacies traditionally prepare customized medications for individual patients. However, in this context, they have scaled their operations to produce large quantities of GLP1 inhibitors—weight loss drugs—thereby increasing competition.

  • Mansoor Amiji: "Compounding pharmacies are supposed to serve a limited purpose...When the Federal Drug Administration declares a shortage of a certain drug, compounding pharmacies can start making it to fill the gap." ([03:00] – [03:22])

• Market Impact: The surge in compounding pharmacies producing GLP1 inhibitors has led to market saturation. Despite the FDA declaring shortages over, many patients continue to receive replicated medications, which has pressured the original manufacturers to reconsider their pricing strategies.

  • Marta Voshinska: "What has happened with GLP1s is it's basically having a commercial manufacturing operation create these products." ([03:41])

• Legal Actions and Future Outlook: Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have initiated multiple lawsuits to curb the activities of compounding pharmacies. Analysts predict that to remain competitive, these major companies may need to lower their prices.

  • Mansoor Amiji: "Drug makers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have sued multiple times to stop this. Still, the compounders are out there. Analysts say the companies might have to lower prices to compete." ([04:17])

Conclusion: The encroachment of compounding pharmacies into the GLP1 inhibitor market has significantly disrupted established pharmaceutical companies, leading to notable stock declines and prompting legal battles aimed at protecting market share.

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3. August’s Reputation in the Stock Market: Insights from Barry Ritholtz

Timeframe: [06:00] – [08:35]

David Brancaccio explores the historical skepticism surrounding the month of August in the stock market, seeking perspective from Barry Ritholtz, chairman and chief investment officer at Ritholtz Wealth Management.

Key Points:

• Historical Context: August has been associated with various negative events, including military invasions, economic crises, and natural disasters, which have impacted market sentiments.

  • David Brancaccio: "Published reports indicate an executive order could be on the way as early as today to push regulators to investigate whether banks need discriminate against customers based on politics." ([06:00])

• Barry Ritholtz’s Perspective:

  • Ritholtz shares anecdotes from his early career, noting that during summer months, trading desks are often staffed by less experienced personnel, leading to more volatile and exaggerated market movements.

    • Barry Ritholtz: "Look, the US isn't Europe, but more and more people take a couple of weeks off in the summer, thinly traded markets, not a whole lot of things going on. So whatever happens, it tends to get a little exaggerated." ([06:23])

  • He argues that fears of an August crash are largely unfounded, citing that significant market crashes in October were decades ago (1987 and 1929), and he anticipates that such events are unlikely in the near future.

    • Barry Ritholtz: "So my bet is on the other 98 August, September, Octobers and not those." ([06:48])

  • On market timing and the pitfalls of trying to predict downturns, Ritholtz emphasizes the challenges and potential financial consequences of reacting to market forecasts.

    • Barry Ritholtz: "Are you really going to sell? Incur either long term capital gains at 23% or short term at 30% to try and sidestep a 20% drop. And then you run into the problem of when do I get back in?" ([07:46])

Conclusion: Ritholtz provides a seasoned investor's reassurance that August does not necessarily herald market downturns. He advocates for a long-term investment strategy over reactive market timing, suggesting that attempts to predict and counteract seasonal market behaviors may be counterproductive.

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Final Thoughts

This episode of the Marketplace Morning Report offers listeners a comprehensive look into current economic issues, from the potential political biases in banking practices to the disruptive influence of compounding pharmacies on pharmaceutical giants. Additionally, expert insights challenge conventional wisdom about market behaviors in August, promoting a measured and informed approach to investing. Whether you're interested in banking policies, pharmaceutical market dynamics, or investment strategies, this episode provides valuable perspectives to enhance your understanding of the economic landscape.

Transcript

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[David Brancaccio]

If you lean conservative? I'm David Brancaccio in Los Angeles. Published reports indicate an executive order could be on the way as early as today to push regulators to investigate whether banks need discriminate against customers based on politics. Marketplace's Henry Epp reports the order would.

[Henry Epp]

Follow years of complaints by some conservatives who claim banks turned them down over their political or religious views. President Donald Trump himself claimed in a CNBC interview on Tuesday that two large banks turned down his deposits after he left office in 2021. He did not cite specific evidence for those claims. Large banks have denied that they discriminate on political grounds, but they in turn have pointed the finger at regulators whose rul they say have discouraged them from working with certain customers. Regulators have responded to those industry complaints. In June, the Federal Reserve said that it would no longer consider reputational risk in its supervision of banks, meaning the potential for bad publicity or lawsuits. There is evidence that banks turn away customers, though not clearly for political reasons. An analysis by the Senate Banking Committee earlier this year found that over 8,000 people complained to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over the last three years that they had accounts improperly closed. I'm Henry.

[David Brancaccio]

Let'S get an update now on the makers of brand name weight loss drugs where the stocks have been plummeting. The stock price of the wegovy company Novo Nordisk based in Denmark, down 34% over the last week and a half. Stock in the Zeppbound company Eli Lilly of Indianapolis, down nearly 6% over that time. This is in part about competition from what are called compounding pharmacies outfits that normally prepare customized medicines for patients. But their role here is a little different. Marketplace's Novo Safo explains.

[Mansoor Amiji]

Compounding pharmacies are supposed to serve a limited purpose. One example is a patient who has to take a pill, says Mansoor Amiji, pharmaceutical sciences professor at Northeastern University.

[Marta Voshinska]

A compounding pharmacist can crush it, put it in a syrup, and now you have product that is exactly the same product, but it's more tailored towards that individual and it's done on a one off basis.

[Mansoor Amiji]

There is another use of compounding. When the Federal Drug Administration declares a shortage of a certain drug, compounding pharmacies can start making it to fill the gap. That's what happened three years ago with GLP1 inhibitors, which exploded in popularity. But manufacturers had trouble keeping up with demand.

[Marta Voshinska]

The thing that has happened with GLP1s is it's basically having a commercial manufacturing operation create these products.

[Mansoor Amiji]

Because of the sheer scale involved, a market Morgan Stanley predicts could reach $150 billion globally. Now, the FDA says the shortages are over, but lots of patients are still getting essentially copied medications.

[Barry Ritholtz]

The cat is out of the bag.

[Mansoor Amiji]

That's Marta Voshinska, a senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution's center on Health Policy.

[Yubico Representative]

And it's very difficult to put that back in again, partly because of how.

[Henry Epp]

The law is written and the fact.

[Yubico Representative]

That it does allow for compounding under certain circumstances.

[Mansoor Amiji]

Drug makers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have sued multiple times to stop this. Still, the compounders are out there. Analysts say the companies might have to lower prices to compete. I'm Nova Safo for Marketplace.

[David Brancaccio]

Novo Nordisk still posted a quarterly profit today and is still Europe's most valuable company. Using market valuation, the stock is down 2.2% in Denmark. Now foreign.

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[Barry Ritholtz]

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[David Brancaccio]

August, the month that the bosses of Wall street go out to the Hamptons for Chardonnay and views of the ocean. Horizon August, when unpleasant news stories have often happened, leaving me, let's call it hyper vigilant for the month. Here to set me straight is Barry Ritholtz, chairman and chief investment officer at Ritholtz Wealth Management. Barry, thanks for your entertaining my superstition.

[Barry Ritholtz]

Oh, thanks so much for having me.

[David Brancaccio]

A lot of people don't like August. You know, you think of October, when some of the big stock market crashes happen. But we've had some bad stretches in August. I've been doing this long enough to remember them. The memory of Saddam Hussein invading Kuwait, the Russia economic crisis of 1998, sovereign debt could never go bust. Surprise. The China market crisis 10 years ago. You get nervous in August in particular.

[Barry Ritholtz]

You know, I began my career on a trading desk and I vividly recall the head trader in the dog days of summer. I was asking, gee, all these stocks seem to get pushed around so easily. And the answer was rookies are manning the terminals. Look, the US Isn't Europe, but more and more people take a couple of weeks off in the summer, thinly traded markets, not a whole lot of things going on. So whatever happens, it tends to get a little exaggerated. Let me remind listeners, the October crash that everybody is so afraid of. One was in 1987. That was 40 years ago. The other one was in 1929. That's almost a century ago. So my bet is on the other 98 August, September, Octobers and not those.

[David Brancaccio]

Two challenges, market timing, knowing when to sell or when to buy. I mean, that generally doesn't work.

[Barry Ritholtz]

That's right. Even, even if I could tell you, hey, August, September, we're going to see a 20% drop in the markets. What do you do with that information? 23 and 24 were both significant double digit gains plus 25% in the S&P. This year we're up 8.9%. Are you really going to sell? Incur either long term capital gains at 23% or short term at 30% to try and sidestep a 20% drop. And then you run into the problem of when do I get back in? We're much better off just looking the other way and letting it ride over the long haul.

[David Brancaccio]

Barry Ritholtz, Co Founder, Chairman and chief investment manager at Ritholtz Wealth Management. He's also author of how not to Invest. Barry, thanks so much.

[Barry Ritholtz]

Thanks so much for having me.

[David Brancaccio]

Now the numbers show it is not August or even crash Famous October I should especially worry about. But September? That is the weakest month for stocks, even though Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883, and the destruction of Pompeii in 79 AD. All August the best of the Marketplace offerings, all in a single daily tidy newsletter. We're public media, so it's free. Marketplace.org subscribe gets it to your inbox for the Marketplace Morning report from apm American Public Media.

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