Jon Prior

Nearly one in four bankers said that the tech giants pose the biggest competitive threat in the long term. But are those fears warranted?

The once-acquisitive company appears ready to come off the sidelines, but will it be as a buyer or seller?

So far farm loans are holding up well, but bankers gathered at an industry conference this week said they are growing increasingly concerned that credit quality will weaken if the U.S. and China don’t reach a deal soon.

Ralph Babb had stepped down as CEO in April. Curtis Farmer, who succeeded him as chief executive, will assume the chairman's title starting next year.

Bank and other lenders are said to have poured hundreds of billions of dollars into financing private-equity firms and their investment deals in recent years. Defaults have been low, but an economic slowdown could put these relationships to the test.

The company has recruited bankers from Wells Fargo, Deutsche Bank and smaller firms to expand its corporate banking team that serves financial technology clients.

The Los Angeles bank is taking its wealth management and entertainment financing businesses to Miami and Long Island as part of its effort to expand nationally.

Midsize players like BankUnited, BOK and Fulton Financial plan to rely on selective M&A, catering to niches overlooked by big banks, aggressive recruitment of commercial lenders and other strategies to stimulate revenue growth.

The Columbus, Ga., company had been counting on increased volume to offset a squeeze in net interest margins.

The Ohio company, scheduled to report third-quarter results Thursday, blamed the decision on the squeeze interest rates are putting on revenue.