Laura Alix

But the Connecticut company says the efficiencies of its recent acquisition of Suffolk Bancorp will begin to be realized soon.

The Pittsburgh company, pleased with employee and client retention from its March purchase of Yadkin Financial, is looking to hire lenders from other institutions.

The Buffalo, N.Y., bank also said commercial and consumer lending ticked up, while residential real estate fell during the second quarter.

In a sign of broader competition ahead, bigger banks are raising the interest they pay on deposits held by business customers. The big question is how hard will it be for banks to maintain margins and to stave off consumer demands for better rates.

The Georgia company made more loans and controlled costs. As a result, it had a 1% return on assets and an efficiency ratio below 60%.

The Pittsburgh bank is developing new products, simplifying old ones and modernizing its workplace based on detailed feedback from consumers, small businesses and employees in an attempt to create a bank they all like better.

On the first big day of 2Q results, bankers said their investments in middle-market lending have started paying off. JPMorgan Chase and PNC have added commercial loan officers in new markets across the country.

Business lending rose 6% at the Pittsburgh bank, while consumer lending was largely flat.

Trust income, bank card fees and deposit service fees led to double-digit earnings growth at Commerce Bancshares.

When the U.S. withdrew from the Paris Agreement, business leaders across the country called on the private sector to step up their own efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ultimately limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius. From new corporate governance practices to energy efficient upgrades, here’s a look at some of the ways the banking sector is combating climate change.