Kristin Broughton

Cordia Bancorp recently sold its student lending platform due to concerns about loan concentrations. In doing so, the Virginia company provided another example of why it is difficult for smaller institutions to gain traction in marketplace lending.

Lenders repeatedly reassured skeptics that their credit risks from the energy slump were under control. But more oil and gas companies are filing for bankruptcy, and more of them are said to be drawing down their credit lines — signaling that the worst may be yet to come.

Bankers in the Bakken Shale region of Montana and North Dakota are keeping an eye on exposure to hotels, apartments and retail space as economic slowdowns occur in energy-producing markets. Bankers in the Marcellus Shale region are also on alert, though there might be less exposure since that region had not yet had a development boom.

JPMorgan Chase chief Jamie Dimon added to his defenses of megabanks, arguing that regional and community banks rely on them. The comments could inflame tensions among banks instead of easing them.

Yes, all the big banks are paring their balance sheets to comply with new rules and axing expenses to please shareholders, but JPMorgan is simultaneously targeting affluent cities for branch and deposit growth.

When Andrew Samuel joined Sunshine Bancorp in 2014, it had a casual culture where growth wasn't a big focus. Less than two years later, he has turned the company into a commercial bank with growth — and acquisitions — firmly in its future.

About 10% of midsize businesses say they want to develop a relationship with nonbank providers, such as marketplace lenders or business development companies, and even more are said to be considering switching banks.

There is concern that a decline in condo pricing could create loan problems similar to those that cropped up before the financial crisis. Bankers in the area, however, believe foreign investors would take the biggest hit.

Fifth Third Bancorp in Cincinnati said Thursday that it will spend $27.5 billion over the next five years to provide loans and other financial services to underserved communities in its region.

Frandsen Financial took the industry's plan to allow faster payments as a call to action. It invested in automation software, which allowed employees previously bogged down with manual tasks to focus on more meaningful duties.