Berkshire Hills Bancorp in Pittsfield, Mass., plans to accelerate its growth in upstate New York by opening regional headquarters in Albany.

It's been a tough year for farmers, and lenders are looking for ways to help those borrowers offset sagging income.

Earnings season is set to begin with a bang Oct. 14 when four of the six largest banking companies report. The next few weeks will likely bring a steady stream of lackluster commercial lending results, good news on energy and mortgage books and (thanks, Wells Fargo) a whole lot of scrutiny of cross-selling practices.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s new regulation governing prepaid cards will disrupt consumer practices, drive up costs and wreak havoc on a fast-growing sector within the payments industry.

Current proposals about what to do with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that still focus on a government-backed solution are misdirected.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and our social media platforms.

HNA Group, one of China's most acquisitive conglomerates, agreed to buy CIT Group Inc.'s aircraft-leasing business for $10 billion, giving billionaire Chairman Chen Feng command over the biggest Chinese-owned fleet for rent.

Two community banks have put forward plans for a speedier U.S. payment system. They're up against the industry's giants.

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of House lawmakers on the financial services panel introduced legislation Wednesday that would help banks remotely open accounts.

Bank of Commerce in Sarasota, Fla., will change hands following a bankruptcy auction.

The Massachusetts banker is honored for her commitment to financial education and entrepreneurship.

Large banks aren't the only financial institutions producing up-and-coming executives. Five executives on American Banker's list of Women to Watch hold key positions at banks with less than $30 billion in assets.

Berkshire Hills Bancorp in Pittsfield, Mass., has agreed to buy the assets and certain liabilities of a wealth management firm in Vermont.

Salem Five Bancorp has agreed to buy Georgetown Bancorp in a deal that will combine two Massachusetts banks.

Banks must work to attract a diverse workforce through recruiting efforts, and to close the retention gap that sees institutions lose a higher percentage of women leaders compared to those who are men.

Cross-border payments are a complex and global system, so it's no surprise that modernizing this process would require a partnership that spans multiple continents and a relatively new and experimental technology.

The 1.35% delinquency rate was the lowest since at least 2001, and it marked nearly four years of delinquencies below the 15-year average of 2.21%.

Community bankers say that reclassifying "reciprocal deposits" as a less risky type of deposit will help them to compete with large banks. Some deposit brokers are crying foul, arguing that the proposed legislation would put them at a competitive disadvantage. Observers, meanwhile, say the bill is so narrowly written that it would hardly affect competition.

The $20 billion-asset Iberiabank said in a press release Wednesday that it invested $1.5 million for a less than 5% stake in Liberty Financial Services in New Orleans.

Umpqua Holdings in Portland, Ore., has formed a corporate lending office and hired Richard Cabrera to oversee it.