Banks' bated breath

The nation's biggest banks are hoping to receive a big lift next Monday when the Federal Reserve finishes its latest stress tests and lets the banks know if they can hike their dividends and/or buy back shares.

Most of the largest 19 banks that underwent the stress tests are expected to receive the OK to boost or reinstitute dividends to shareholders and repurchase billions of shares issued during the financial downturn, sources tell The Post.