Laura Alix

Two new government reports suggest that U.S. consumers’ fortunes have improved since the start of the pandemic, with bankruptcies falling sharply and fewer people falling behind on bills. But it’s not clear how long the positive trends will sustain themselves as government relief efforts wind down and evictions and foreclosures resume.

Human resources professionals predict that 2021 will be a year of rampant job-hopping as workers who were reluctant to make a move during the pandemic are now reassessing what they want.

Large banks like Chase, PNC and U.S. Bank were seen as having more resources to devote to customer relief and upgrade digital channels that consumers came to rely on, according to a J.D. Power survey.

CEO John Turner said green projects present a strong business opportunity for the Birmingham, Ala., company.

The Portland, Ore., company has a simple growth plan: convert more Paycheck Protection Program borrowers into long-term customers.

Morgan Stanley was also among 43 banks worldwide to sign on as initial members of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance. Convened by the United Nations, the group has pledged to help clients in carbon-intensive industries — including transportation, mining and agriculture — reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.

The Ohio company has opened just 32 of 120 new branches it plans in the region by 2022, but those offices are making a sizable contribution to growth.

The Connecticut company has struggled to put deposits from its health savings account business to work across the Northeast. Buying Sterling Bancorp for $5 billion will provide Webster with new opportunities in a number of business lines, including asset-based lending and equipment finance.

The leaders of Citizens Financial and Truist predict lending will bounce back in the second half of 2021 as the economy normalizes. But PNC chief Bill Demchak says there are scant signs that businesses are gearing up for a rebound.

The company’s payments services business has struggled during the pandemic, but executives are counting on commercial clients’ embrace of real-time payments to help fuel the unit’s growth in 2021.

Liu's promotion is one of a series of moves the company is making in its newly reorganized wealth management unit.

Bank of America, which has had an environmental business goal since 2007, is significantly increasing its current commitment.

In his annual message to investors, the JPMorgan Chase CEO said Big Tech and fintechs are "here to stay" and vowed to be aggressive in taking on these new challengers. He also predicted that the economy would take off this year, but said capital rules prevented banks from doing more to help blunt the impact of the pandemic recession.

While branchless banks are taking market share from brick-and-mortar rivals, they aren’t necessarily wowing consumers with service, according to a recent J.D. Power survey. The findings suggest that direct banks can do a better job communicating with their customers, particularly in times of crisis.

One in five Americans started banking with a new financial institution while dealing with economic hardships over the past year. But data suggests the relationships are tenuous and competition for customer loyalty will intensify.

Bank of America said Tuesday that it would up its initial commitment from $1 billion to $1.25 billion and would increase support in Asian American communities, where violence and incidents of harassment have risen sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Rainforest Action Network says the 2020 decline stemmed more from weak energy demand during the pandemic than banks’ pledge to reduce financing to firms that contribute to climate change.

Banks ditched radio ads, direct mail and sports sponsorships and instead produced spots for social media, video games and streaming services, all while adjusting their messages to feel more relevant to the times. Now, with coronavirus cases declining, will they return to the old normal?

The $235 million acquisition will bring CEO Jared Wolff's company a trove of cheap deposits and the chance to slash costs without having to significantly change its business model.

M&T Bank, Citizens Financial and Huntington Bancshares are playing it safe even as some of their counterparts have started to trim allowances in response to government stimulus efforts and rapid progress in the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine.