Polo Rocha

Bankers often use return on equity to measure their success, but the banks whose stock prices have suffered most during past crises are the ones with high ROEs, according to new research. The findings add to academic skepticism about high-profit banks.

Thomas Nides, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel and longtime Morgan Stanley executive, will take over the megabank's public affairs division as its work to fix regulatory concerns continues. He succeeds Bill Daley, the former chief of staff to President Barack Obama, who recently announced his retirement from Wells.

Dawson Her Many Horses, a commercial banker at Wells Fargo, is a pivotal player in an effort among tribal leaders, the federal government and the private sector to improve the availability of economic data about Native American communities to encourage outside investment there.

A handful of banks concentrated in the Southeast U.S. are facing elevated charge-offs amid the liquidation of Mountain Express Oil. First Horizon Corp., which led a syndicated loan of more than $200 million to the bankrupt company, expects to take a $70 million hit.

Concerns about large unrealized losses on bond investments have receded since the spring banking crisis, but the paper losses have started growing again in recent months. The worries today are less about banks' survival — and more about how much their margins will get squeezed.

When 55 banks were asked to provide metrics on the health of their commercial real estate borrowers, some of them gave data that was six months old. The survey by Moody's Investors Service also found that certain borrowers are already struggling, and others could hit trouble soon, since they'll need to refinance at high interest rates.

The consumer lender's stock price has fallen more than 30% since its disclosure of a looming regulatory action, which was followed by the sudden departure of its CEO. To help meet its compliance challenges, the company's board added a former FDIC regional director.

Bank customers who overdraw their accounts now face an average fee of $26.61, which is down from a peak of $33.58 in 2021. Consumer advocates contend that tougher regulations are needed to sustain the momentum, while industry groups argue that bank-led innovations are working.

The regional bank's stock price is down 38% this year, and it recently got downgraded by S&P Global. While there's light at the end of the tunnel — as Key looks to rebound from the negative impact of soaring interest rates — analysts question whether the improvement will take too long to materialize.

The company is paying $75 million in penalties and restitution in connection with SEC allegations that its investment advisory arm overcharged customers it inherited in its Wachovia acquisition in 2008. The settlement is said to show the importance of conducting extensive compliance checks in a rapidly consolidating industry.

A new state regulation brings consumer-style rules to the small business realm, extending California regulators' ability to crack down on nonbank lenders that engage in questionable practices. Observers believe that it could be a model for other states.

The Alabama-based regional bank didn't effectively track whether some loans complied with flood insurance regulations, according to the Fed. Regions said that it had fixed the issue by 2017.

Tighter credit standards and lower demand for business loans could make it harder for the Fed to achieve the soft landing it's seeking. Still, bankers are cautiously optimistic, noting that some businesses are using their savings to invest at a time when borrowing costs are high.

The embattled credit card company, which is bracing for regulatory action, warned Thursday that heavy spending on risk management and compliance will persist. Executives also said that internal and external candidates will be considered for the permanent CEO job.

The credit card company is no stranger to regulatory penalties, but its CEO's sudden departure this week raises the specter of a more painful punishment tied to possible compliance shortcomings. Analysts are hoping to get clarity Thursday on how bad things could get.

JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and TD Auto Finance all see opportunities in providing financing to dealers for inventory, the purchase of competitors and the addition of infrastructure for electric vehicle sales. Two other banks recently said they're exiting the business, which could provide a further opening.

The company is rolling out a special-purpose credit program to help address what it describes as "the biggest barriers to achieving homeownership." Such programs are gaining popularity among banks.

The deal with private equity firm KKR follows an earlier announced sale of $1.3 billion in medical office loans. The Columbus, Georgia-based company has said it's "proactively optimizing the balance sheet" to position itself for long-term growth.

U.S. consumers set a new record during the second quarter, as card debt reached $1.03 trillion. Bankers say a healthy job market has allowed consumers to keep making their monthly payments, but they're also on guard about the impact of the upcoming resumption of federal student loan payments.

Much of the industry is slimming down, with some banks calling it quits on riskier sectors and selling loans they no longer want. The trend is particularly prominent at regional banks that are preparing to comply with new capital rules.