Commercial lending

As the risk of a recession rises, commercial real estate loans remain a major concern for banks and industry participants. One observer asked: "Is '25 the year where sellers start to capitulate, call a loser a loser, and move on?"

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said in a court filing that it will repropose a rule requiring lenders to report small-business loan data, citing legal challenges.

The top five banks had a combined commercial real estate loan volume of more than $482 billion at the end of the fourth quarter.

In a speech, the Federal Reserve governor called for policies that would impose Truth In Lending-like disclosure requirements on lenders' products that cater to small businesses.

It's been rare for a fintech to win regulatory approval to become a bank, with none receiving approval under President Joe Biden and only a few successfully obtaining charters before that.

The KBW Nasdaq Bank Index is down more than 7% year to date. Analysts blame confusion caused by President Trump's evolving tariff policies and heightened worries about an economic downturn that could hurt banks' credit quality.

Forecasters on an American Bankers Association panel predict continued economic growth this year, though they say President Trump's tariffs have created new inflation and recession risks.

Concentrating in narrow specialties can attract both relatively low-cost deposits and low-risk loans in an era of high interest rates and economic uncertainty, lenders say.

The Connecticut bank expects to report a $9.5 million net loss for the fourth quarter, but it said it's made headway in its efforts to cultivate investors and bolster its capital levels.