As the market sorts out who will benefit and who will not during a Donald Trump administration, count one in the winner's bracket: banks. Despite getting little Wall Street cash during the election, Trump already is being perceived as friendly to the $15 trillion banking industry. He has promised a rollback in regulation, and traders quickly interpreted his win as leading to the higher interest rates that banks like. The result was a gain exceeding 4 percent for bank stocks as a whole (as measured by the KBW Bank Index) and optimism that the good times were just starting. "This is a grand slam home run for the industry," Dick Bove, vice president of equity research at Rafferty Capital Markets, said in an interview. Bove sees benefits to banks from three angles: legislative, regulatory and economic. Banks are likely to see key measures passed in Congress, regulatory measures rolled back and an inflow of cash to the financial system.

Changes in personnel

Among the biggest changes: adoption of Rep. Jeb Hensarling's proposal to set a different benchmark — 10 percent equity to assets — for more intense regulations; elimination of the so-called Volcker Rule that restricts banks trading for their own accounts; and a weakened Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

In addition, he believes the Federal Reserve and some of its top officials could face intense political pressure from Trump. He specifically pointed to Daniel Tarullo, who oversees the banking system and whose term does not expire until 2022. "I think that Tarullo is gone. He has been perhaps the source of more regulation for the financial industry than anyone else in the history of the U.S. government," Bove said. "The Fed is going to get the message: We're looking for you to figure out ways to make banks more productive, to assist the economy." Fed officials declined to comment.

At the same time, the CFPB has been the target of Republicans' ire since President Barack Obama formed it as a check against abusive bank behavior.

Trump has targeted it as intrusive and overreaching, and its role likely will change significantly. "We do not think the bureau is dismantled, but the new leader will likely shelve the upcoming regulatory agenda," analysts at FBR Capital Markets said in a note to clients. "The threat of enforcement actions is also significantly diminished."

Smaller banks, bigger boost