Sun Trust Banks Inc. is the latest major bank to raise its dividend, lifting its quarterly payout to 28 cents a share, from 25 cents.
The new dividend is payable on Dec. 15 to shareholders of record of Dec. 1.
Several banks have raised dividends recently and one analyst, John Leonard of Salomon Brothers, predicts two-thirds of the nation's top 50 banks will do so within the next year.
The top five banks and thrifts have combined total assets of nearly $13 trillion.
Many legal experts think the Supreme Court will rule in favor of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in a case challenging its funding. Such a ruling would unleash a flurry of litigation that has been on hold pending the outcome of the constitutional challenge.
Lawmakers including one of the original sponsors of the Corporate Transparency Act have filed an amicus brief in the appeal against an Alabama court ruling that the law is unconstitutional, which would throw into question Treasury's newly-established beneficial ownership structure.
The Connecticut bank —a regional traditionally regarded as a cautious lender — said nonperforming loans and leases rose 53% year-over-year. The uptick was in mostly the commercial-and-industrial loan space, although there was one nonperforming commercial real estate loan, executives said.
The two regional banks are anticipating that borrower demand will increase in the back half of the year. High interest rates and economic uncertainty have been muting the appetite for borrowing.
In a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen last week, the Massachusetts senator highlighted the growing use of cryptocurrencies by malicious organizations abroad and underscored the need for anti-money-laundering and counterterrorism provisions in future proposals.
