Banks including Wells Fargo, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase have pulled back on financing for offices and other commercial real estate following a record burst of lending in the first half of this year. 

Credit Suisse is considering reviving the First Boston brand name as the Swiss lender seeks ways to boost the fortunes of its beleaguered investment bank, according to people familiar with the matter.

Consumer spending continues to rise, but last quarter's acceleration in loan growth is starting to lose momentum, and bankers are tempering expectations about fee income. Meanwhile, deposit outflows have yet to result in strong competition for customers' money.

After investment banking fees fell by 54% last quarter, the nation's largest bank by assets is considering cutting back. "Last year, we had to add a lot of bodies just to execute the huge amount of volume we were executing," Chief Operating Officer Daniel Pinto said Tuesday.

The Mortgage Bankers Association forecast comes as bankers continue keeping an eye on their commercial real estate portfolios, including office buildings. The MBA also noted that many companies have long-term leases on their offices, likely making the hit more gradual.

The European Central Bank is intensifying discussions with bank executives over their readiness for a potential surge in company defaults and a drying up of energy market liquidity amid a worsening standoff over Russian gas supplies.

Lenders are extending credit to corporate suppliers, helping them get paid earlier and keeping goods flowing. But the growth in the sector carries certain risks, too.