Orange Bank and Trust in Middletown says it will operate as a boutique commercial bank, focusing on small business, nonprofits and the borough's sizzling housing construction market.

Banks that don't focus on credit cards for this market may find larger banks and fintechs are eating their lunch.

The bank has hired an advisory firm to assess a potential sale, a capital raise or a strategic partnership after a prior merger fell through.

A slower rate of price increases would boost the likelihood of an interest-rate cut that could expand loan demand and lower banks' deposit costs. A higher pace of inflation, however, could derail those catalysts.

The Honolulu-based bank is taking a $19.7 million pretax loss to rid its balance sheet of low-yielding investments. It joined a parade of banks that have made similar moves.

Banking South Korean companies has become a major pillar of the Los Angeles-based Hanmi's balance sheet, with a portfolio of loans approaching $1 billion.

The unionization push by members of the bank's conduct management intake team has been hotly contested. If approved, it would represent a landmark in the effort to organize workers at the $1.9 trillion-asset bank.

The cash-and-stock bid for Enterprise Bancorp is expected to close in the second half of 2025. In connection with the deal, Independent plans to raise about $250 million in subordinated debt.

Net closings rose to the highest quarterly level in nearly three years. As M&A rebounds, banks are also trimming their physical footprints as customer demand for digital services overshadow in-person transactions.

There is a major opportunity out there, especially for community banks, to displace predatory lenders and earn a healthy return at the same time. It's just a question of making the leap.