Laura Alix

Banks may need to do more to help small businesses after a hurricane, flood or other calamity as those firms tend to favor nonbank lenders after an emergency for a number of reasons, according to research by four regional Federal Reserve banks.

The Rosemont, Ill., bank rode loan growth, interest rate trends and noninterest-income gains to a double-digit increase in profits in the first quarter.

Previously the head of commercial banking, Tory Nixon — also a former NFL cornerback — will now oversee the bank's digital strategy.

A $135 million increase in litigation expenses related to its 2011 acquisition of Wilmington Trust overshadowed a wider net interest margin and improved credit quality for the Buffalo, N.Y., company in the first quarter.

Bankers hoped the tax overhaul would stimulate a boom in business borrowing, but several said this week that hasn’t happened yet. PNC’s Bill Demchak warned that the tax cuts could be encouraging lenders to underprice loans.

During earnings calls, bankers praised regulators' latest efforts to modify capital rules. JPMorgan Chase CFO Marianne Lake, meanwhile, called on policymakers to focus on overhauling the G-SIB surcharge.

The Pittsburgh company reported a 39% gain in retail banking profits amid a lot of strong first-quarter numbers, yet it still fell short of analysts' earnings expectations by a penny and wants to push for stronger loan growth.

The Kansas City, Mo., company also benefited from higher yields on its loans and flat funding costs.

James Smith said his late enrollment in the state’s Republican Party meant he would be ineligible to be a candidate in its August primary and that he did not want to disrupt the nomination process.

TriStar Bank in Tennessee says a shortage of appraisers is slowing down its commercial real estate lending and raising the cost of appraisals. The claim has outraged appraisers, who argue that the bank is simply trying to avoid paying their fees.