A regional bank merger gets antitrust clearance
A closer look at a story that's been building for weeks, and what the next move likely is.
The shift did not happen overnight. It accumulated in quiet decisions, small wins, and a handful of unglamorous fixes that no one tweeted about.
Critics raise familiar objections, and some of them land. The honest answer is that the tradeoffs are real and worth naming.
A small group of practitioners has been arguing for this approach for years. They are doing their best not to look smug.
Skeptics point to the long history of premature declarations. Their caution is earned, and worth keeping close at hand.
What makes this moment unusual is not the size of the move but its shape. The curve bends in a way that resists easy analogies.
The institutional response has been measured, which in this context is a polite way of saying slow.
