Florida's Long Road to Recovery

The Sunshine State was battered by the real estate bust, causing a wave of bank failures. The upheaval is reshaping the banking landscape as more regionals move in, but they'll need patience because conditions are likely to get worse before they get better.

FRONT AND CENTER

A New Calling

Two small New England banks are moving into a line of business few their size have tried. Is this the future of community banking?

WORD IS ...

Holding Pattern for Borrowers

Most bankers insist that they would make a lot more small-business loans if not for two key hurdles beyond their control: Many business owners seeking loans are risky credits, and creditworthy borrowers aren't too eager to add debt.

THE INSIDE TRACK

Credit Crunch Helps Credit Unions

By playing up how they can help create jobs, credit unions are gaining momentum with their effort to increase the cap on member business lending.

FAST FORWARD

Pursuing a Tinier Target

Banks have been slow to leverage small-business analytics, but Synovus is cashing in on a fresh intelligence trend.

MARKETING

Good for Business

Understanding that they are only as healthy as the communities they serve, banks are using their marketing prowess to help clients sell everything from burgers to bikes.

AD BEAT

GE Capital Thinks Small

After suffering staggering commercial real estate losses, GE's financing unit shifts its focus to small businesses.

RISK

The Neuroscience of Money: Finding How Traders Tick

Researchers are using neurology, genetics, biology and physics to build hypotheses about financial behavior. What can bankers and regulators learn from the results?

MAIN STREET

Community Banks Sound Off on Pay Plan

The Fed wants more control over executive pay, but many are arguing that smaller institutions should be exempt from the proposed rules.

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

The Rise of the Megafund

With more banks expected to shed fund units to raise capital, deep-pocketed investment managers are poised to get even bigger.

THE ECONOMY

Not Just Hype — Small Business Means Jobs

Bankers are stuck between Obama's wishes and regulators' heightened caution over extending credit to small firms. Meanwhile, the recovery stalls.

OP-ED

Six Ways to Attract and Retain Small Businesses

Many healthy small businesses have had their credit lines cut even though there is no real change in risk for that business. At the same time, however, banks do not need to focus solely on credit.

OP-ED

How Regulators Are Inhibiting an Economic Recovery

Raising capital levels for banks deters new lending. Now is not the time for higher capital standards, but for enforcing standards already in place.

Hits and Has-Beens

Executive changes

Back Porch

Select quotes from the world of financial services.