Banco Popular de Puerto Rico

For big banks, good first-quarter earnings news is likely to be in short supply. In addition to struggling with the usual suspects — weak loan demand, more regulation — they have a number of institution-specific issues to contend with. American Banker editors discuss.

Cozy relations between bankers and presidents have faced plenty of criticism over the decades. But they've also proven to be a vital asset during crises and enabled the U.S. to emerge as-and remain-a financial superpower. So says Nomi Prins, author of All the Presidents' Bankers.

More than a century ago, the nation's leading bankers applied their considerable political leverage to creating a central bank that would act as their backstop in times of crisis. In so doing, they institutionalized "too big to fail," created a "reckless co-dependency" and a Fed-first mantra within the banks that gives ordinary borrowers short shrift in times of financial stress. So says Nomi Prins, author of All the Presidents' Bankers.

Ties between presidents and top bankers have loosened over time as armies of handlers have intervened. The result is a system in which the bankers' sense of civic duty has weakened, even as the concentration of assets in their hands has come to pose mounting systemic risk. That's according to Nomi Prins, author of All the Presidents' Bankers.

Banks are continuing to try to game capital ratios and regulatory standards that are intended to make the financial industry safer and simpler, according to Anat Admati. The Stanford finance professor and co-author of "The Bankers' New Clothes" discusses the successes and failures of regulation and banks' risk-management in recent months.

Banks need to take fewer risks and hold more capital, but recent regulations, including the Volcker rule, are "not cost-effective" for banks and "too expensive for the potential benefits." That's bank critic Anat Admati, the Stanford finance professor and co-author of "The Bankers' New Clothes," who also discusses big banks' corporate governance and recent probes into high-frequency trading.

As banks increasingly compete to manage their most affluent customers' assets, some financial companies are using savvy strategies to win a share of this lucrative business. American Banker reporters discuss the tactics some banks are using to stand out from the wealth-management crowd.

First quarter earnings results were all over the map for the biggest banks, but for the next tier some distinct trends are emerging. Among them: pockets of strength and an emphasis on cost controls. American Banker editors discuss.

Community banks that specialize in lending to niche segments, such as professional athletes or energy-services companies, are managing to overcome the sluggish revenue growth at some of their rivals. Rod Taylor, an executive recruiter at Taylor & Co., explains.

Operation Choke Point, changing marijuana laws and increased anti-money laundering scrutiny are just a few of the governmental and regulatory factors affecting banks' relationships with certain customers these days. Now financial companies are under intense scrutiny over the payday lenders, check cashers, marijuana businesses and even individual customers that they do business with. American Banker editors discuss.