Commercial lending

Commercial real estate companies are among those left out of the Federal Reserve’s middle-market relief program, but House members said they need government-backed financing to navigate the pandemic as much as anyone.

It's been six weeks since the Paycheck Protection Program expired and banks started filing forgiveness applications on behalf of borrowers. So why isn't the Small Business Administration responding?

Banks reported decent loan growth in the spring and early summer as businesses rushed to draw down credit lines and tap the Paycheck Protection Program. But demand has been muted since, and bankers can only guess when it will pick back up.

With only a fraction of the funds allocated being used, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank is considering tweaks to the middle-market rescue program in an appeal to lenders wary of taking on added risk.

Congress should pass legislation that would allow Home Loan banks to backstop deposits by local governments at commercial banks and lower the cost of bond financing, two mayors argue.

The agency finally detailed how it may implement congressional requirements to collect information on credit to small businesses. Lenders below certain asset thresholds and that make few business loans could be off the hook.

The two biggest U.S. banks trimmed expectations for net interest income as low rates and tepid loan growth weigh on revenue.

The bureau will detail how it will implement a Dodd-Frank Act provision requiring the agency to collect information on small-business lending in order to identify discrimination.

The performance of about $3 billion in hotel and other loans flagged by the Dallas company as high-risk has been a "a pleasant surprise," its chief credit officer said at an industry conference.

On Jun. 30, 2020. Dollars in thousands.

Lenders press Congress to restart — and revamp — the Paycheck Protection Program; Fed corrects stress test error for Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs; M&T's new fintech unit rolls out first product; and more from this week's most-read stories.

At a time when many lenders are shying away from an industry hit hard by the pandemic, State Bank of Texas is going all in.

The bank discovered the actions, all of which were tied to the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, after noticing that suspicious amounts of money had been deposited into checking accounts owned by bank employees, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

The Senate Banking Committee met Wednesday to review central bank lending facilities such as the Main Street Lending Program, which provides bank-issued loans to middle-market firms. But some lawmakers on the panel said the focus of pandemic relief has been misplaced.

Bank of Montreal's top executive says it's a "myth" that his company's commercial lending business is taking big risks and argues the bank will come through the recession with fewer loan losses than rivals.

Bankers and fintech executives want lawmakers returning to Washington to focus on streamlined forgiveness and a second round of Paycheck Protection Program loans for small businesses.

Only one of the 118 loans bought by the Federal Reserve through Aug. 31 was close to the $250,000 minimum in the rescue program, aimed small to midsize businesses hurt by the pandemic.

Fintech lenders that reported a surge in missed payments at the start of the pandemic have seen credit quality rebound substantially since. But credit performance could still deteriorate if high unemployment persists and Congress fails to enact more relief measures.

On Jun. 30, 2020. Dollars in thousands.

The agreement between Colorado authorities, marketplace lenders and banks offers a way to structure partnerships without triggering the wrath of state regulators.