Commercial banking

Now that earnings season has kicked off, investors will be paying close attention for signs of loan growth and deposit pricing relief, though analysts don't expect improvements to materialize right away.

Higher funding costs, lower loan demand and the potential for increased credit costs continue to drag on the sector heading into second-quarter earnings season.

Gone are the days when Wall Street executives dressed in conspicuously expensive clothing. Now the industry has adopted a more relaxed and casual dress code.

With tougher capital requirements looming, a number of regionals including U.S. Bancorp, Huntington and Santander are using these new instruments to share risk with nonbank investors and lighten their capital load. Experts point out the pros and cons.

The Cincinnati, Ohio, bank also promoted three other top executives to new roles. All of the changes will be effective in early 2024.

Remote work trends and high interest rates have substantially reduced the values of U.S. office buildings. A new academic paper estimates the extent of the deterioration, suggesting that there is perhaps more stress ahead for banks than is widely anticipated.

The Connecticut bank agreed to pay $350 million to acquire Ametros Financial, a custodian and administrator of medical funds from insurance claim settlements. Some analysts see the deal as a signal that Webster does not plan to sell its health savings account business, which has been the subject of recent speculation.