Mnuchin Dims Banks’ Hopes He Will Allow a Prop-Trading Revival
- Trump’s Treasury nominee offers more support for Volcker Rule
- Comments made after Democrats seek clarity on his statements
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Steven Mnuchin made clear he doesn’t want Wall Street banks getting back into the business of making risky market bets with their own capital, after Senate Democrats pushed him to clarify his responses to questions they asked during his confirmation process to be Treasury secretary.
In written remarks to lawmakers, Mnuchin said that even banking units that lack a government backstop should be restricted from making speculative trades. At issue is the Volcker Rule, a contentious provision in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act that sought to prevent lenders from putting federally-insured deposits at risk through wagers on stocks, bonds and other assets.