Commercial lending

There was plenty for banks to be encouraged about in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s most recent Quarterly Banking Profile, which reported comprehensive industry earnings for the fourth quarter and all of 2014. Community bank lending is showing steady growth, capital levels keep rising and the FDIC's insurance reserves are stabilizing. But the numbers also contained worrisome signs. Here are key takeaways from the report.

The Northeast has always been a competitive market for deposit gathering. Loan growth and the potential for rising interests are forcing banks in the region to find new ways to bring in low-cost liquidity.

Deutsche Bank's U.S. division has hired JPMorgan Chase executive Jeff Urwin to head its corporate finance activities and co-head its corporate banking and securities business.

OnDeck Capital, the online lender whose initial public offering raised eyebrows in December, posted a net loss of $4.3 million for the fourth quarter in its first report as a public company.

Athens Federal Community Bank has applied for a national bank charter as it broadens its focus beyond residential mortgage lending.

A recent research paper found that community banks' assets, along with market share in most types of commercial lending, have fallen since the Dodd-Frank Act was passed. The report is giving advocates of smaller institutions more data to rally around.

ApplePie Capital, a new marketplace lender that specializes in lending to franchises, has officially opened for business.

The FDIC welcomed seven new members to a committee on Wednesday that will provide recommendations on policy and regulatory issues affecting community banks.

Big banks and institutional investors picked up the pace of loan approvals for small businesses in January, while small banks and alternative lenders continued to see their approval rates decline, according to a monthly lending index.

Banks stayed away from construction lending for years after it collapsed and contributed to the financial crisis. But low interest rates and other factors have gotten some developments off the ground, leading to construction lending's comeback.

Flushing Financial in Lake Success, N.Y., has expanded its business banking operations to Manhattan.

Lenders have purged bad loans and low interest rates are fueling new projects. Yet many bankers still view C&D loans as risky and are eager to stress that they will steer clear of the boom.

Alternative finance marketplace Lending Club has entered into an agreement with the U.S. branch of Alibaba to offer financing to American businesses to buy parts from Chinese manufacturers through the Alibaba marketplace.

Opus Bank in Irvine, Calif., has received regulatory approval to form a broker-dealer subsidiary that will expand its merchant banking capabilities.

Small business alternative lender Biz2Credit has added Fortis Payments to its roster of payment partners.

Great Western Bancorp in Sioux Falls, S.D., reported lower profit in its first quarter since completing its initial public offering.

After a surprising fall swoon, demand for commercial loans bounced back in December. Lenders, meanwhile, are paying much more attention to how falling energy prices could impact loan portfolios.

Astoria Financial in Lake Success, N.Y., reported higher quarterly profit that benefitted from a sizable reserve release.

Banks like Cullen/Frost and BOK Financial say they have found one, in the form of higher energy-sector loan balances last quarter and the chance to finance consolidation among oil firms. But such spurts may only mask longer-term problems.

EverBank Financial in Jacksonville, Fla., reported higher quarterly results largely because of increased commercial originations.