(Yahoo!Finance) - As megabank CEOs attend their annual congressional hearings on Wednesday, remarks on the U.S. economy will be included within usual discussions around regulatory issues such as compliance and consumer protection this year.
Based on pre-written remarks, JPMorgan Chief Jamie Dimon will touch on the uncertainty posed by conflicting macroeconomic trends — specifically, strong consumer spending and a robust labor market against the backdrop of historic inflation and unprecedented monetary tightening by the Federal Reserve.
“The U.S. economy today is a classic tale of two cities,” the leader of the country’s largest bank stated. “There are headwinds and tailwinds, making it challenging to predict the future.”
Dimon’s prepared remarks mention strong consumer spending, “plentiful job openings” that continue to surprise to the upside, and healthy businesses while also highlighting crushing inflation that has eroded worker incomes, supply chain imbalances, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and rapid quantitative tightening.
The comments come as Federal Reserve policymakers are expected to deliver a third-straight 75-basis-point interest rate hike in efforts to restore price stability, with the prospect of more aggressive increases strategists have warned may tip the economy into a recession.
“While these storm clouds build on the horizon, even the best and brightest economists are split as to whether these could evolve into a major economic storm or something much less severe,” Dimon stated.
Citi Chief Executive Jane Fraser’s published testimony echoed those sentiments about the economic picture.
“Today," Fraser's remark stated, "the worst of Covid may be behind us, but the economic challenges we face are no less daunting."
In addition to Dimon and Fraser, other bank executives scheduled to face congressional leaders are Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan and Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf, along with leaders of regional banks Truist Financial, PNC, and U.S. Bancorp.
The committee hearing, titled “Holding Megabanks Accountable: Oversight of America’s Largest Consumer Facing Banks,” is expected to see the leaders grilled on a range of consumer issues.
“America’s largest commercial banks play a critical role in the everyday lives of consumers and the overall health of our economy,” a memo describing the hearings said. “As Congress looks to tackle major issues such as pervasive racial inequalities in financial services, systemic risks to our financial system, including climate change, as well as the ongoing COVID- 19 pandemic, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, this hearing will bring greater transparency and accountability for the actions of these major industry players.”
On the account of the banks, executives are also poised to lament over hurdles facing their industry.
In his prepared testimony, Dimon complained about higher capital requirements and the sum of liquid capital financial institutions are required to hold by regulators to ensure that the majority of banks’ holdings are not comprised of investments that increase the risk of default.
“This is bad for America," he stated, "as it handicaps regulated banks at precisely the wrong time, causing them to be capital constrained and reduce growth in areas like lending, as the country enters difficult economic conditions."
Remarks from Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf, meanwhile, ask Congress for patience as Wells Fargo faces potential setbacks in working to address regulatory issues.
By Alexandra Semenova · Reporter
