When big banks kick off earnings season on Friday, industry observers will be paying close attention to loan growth, deposit growth, expense growth, credit quality and capital ratios. All five areas will offer clues about the industry's trajectory in 2024.

In a string of enforcement actions issued Thursday, the Federal Reserve barred one former banker from the industry for misappropriating confidential supervisory information and fined three others for misappropriating internal bank records.

Surging interest rates, recession threats and weaker stock valuations bogged down merger-and-acquisition activity last year. The 98 announced deals fell short of even 2020, when the pandemic briefly brought the economy to a standstill.

The country's largest credit union is learning the hard way that failure to assure inclusivity in lending practices is a recipe for both financial and reputational damage.

After being undercapitalized for decades, some minority-led banks finally got large capital infusions in the wake of George Floyd's murder. But higher interest rates have made it harder for them to gather the deposits they need to boost lending substantially.

Clark Street Capital said it developed a service to pair sellers with multiple potential buyers within just two weeks. It's meant to help small lenders close deals fast while still getting the benefits of a bidding process.

The top five banks and thrifts have nearly $96 billion in combined home equity loan portfolios as of September 30, 2023.

The KBW Bank Index posted a strong gain after a government report showed employers added 216,000 jobs in December. The labor market strength bodes well for lenders' credit quality but may delay highly anticipated interest rate cuts that would lower banks' funding costs.

In the news this week: A consumer group filed a complaint against Starbucks over its mobile app and reloadable gift cards, Apple Pay added a new payment tech firm, The Clearing House hired Amanda Stewart as its new marketing chief, and more.

Reading Cooperative Bank and Queensborough National Bank and Trust are among those that see value in being close to fintech startups.