Laura Alix

The regional bank's net income rose 37% thanks to those factors and others.

Investing in technology has been an important focus for banks. But big questions remain about these investments, including how best to pay for them.

The Waterbury, Conn., company also posted a double-digit gain in net interest income thanks to a 7% increase in commercial loan balances and a widening net interest margin.

The Bridgeport, Conn., company said that first-quarter net income climbed 52% over the same period last year to $107.9 million.

Results were also aided by strong growth in residential construction, commercial and equipment financing.

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.

James Smith said he would decide soon whether he’ll seek the Republican nomination for governor. He said he was inspired partly by his recent work on a commission tasked with recommending fixes to the state’s fiscal and economic problems.

BB&T is the nation's fifth-largest insurance broker. The deal, expected to close in the third quarter, would further expand its reach in the Southeast and Texas.

China’s threat to impose hefty tariffs on dozens of U.S. imports could weaken demand for soybeans, pork and other agricultural products. Here's what that could mean for farmers, ranchers and the banks that lend to them.

The state’s banking regulator said that the online consumer lender made over 46,000 small loans to Bay State consumers without a license. The company surrendered its license to the state regulator as part of a 2011 consent order.

A majority of midsize and large banks complain that red tape is mounting and that they are passing on higher regulatory costs to customers and have less flexibility in designing products, according to a new survey by the RMA.