Biden’s Transition Team Signals Early Warning to Wall Street

Wall Street sign in New York Manhattan
franckreporter / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Commitment to Our Readers

GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.

20 Years
Helping You Live Richer

Reviewed
by Experts

Trusted by
Millions of Readers

There’s been tremendous excitement from some over President-elect Joe Biden’s win, but Wall Street might be less than enthusiastic over the looming transition of power. For the last four years, the financial industry has enjoyed loosened — or altogether undone — regulations during the Trump administration. But the Biden administration is looking like it won’t be nearly so magnanimous toward big banks.

The agency review teams that Biden has assembled to review finance-related agencies comprise outspoken advocates of strong government regulations on the financial industry. Gary Gensler will head the team working with financial regulatory agencies including the Federal Reserve, Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. He’s known for leading the Commodity Futures Trading Commission during the Obama administration and spearheading tough laws following the Great Recession. Also on the agency review teams are Leandra English, former deputy director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Dennis Kelleher, a co-founder of Better Markets, a financial reform advocacy group that promotes transparency and accountability.

“The big-bank CEOs who read that list are probably somewhat concerned,” Isaac Boltansky, director of policy research at Compass Point Research & Trading, told CNN on Wednesday. “Progressives absolutely won the day on this.” Also winning, to a minimal extent, are supporters of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has passionately fought for stricter regulations and accountability in the finance sector. Biden’s agency review picks could be seen as taking a page right out of the Warren playbook. There has been speculation that Warren could be tapped for a Biden cabinet seat, but we’ll have to wait and see. Trump still has not conceded, despite the immovable fact that he lost the election. 

More From GOBankingRates

BEFORE YOU GO

See Today's Best
Banking Offers

Looks like you're using an adblocker

Please disable your adblocker to enjoy the optimal web experience and access the quality content you appreciate from GOBankingRates.

  • AdBlock / uBlock / Brave
    1. Click the ad blocker extension icon to the right of the address bar
    2. Disable on this site
    3. Refresh the page
  • Firefox / Edge / DuckDuckGo
    1. Click on the icon to the left of the address bar
    2. Disable Tracking Protection
    3. Refresh the page
  • Ghostery
    1. Click the blue ghost icon to the right of the address bar
    2. Disable Ad-Blocking, Anti-Tracking, and Never-Consent
    3. Refresh the page