BB&T

Concerns about job losses and political blowback still loom, but the two banks made it through a second day of public hearings hosted by the Fed relatively unscathed and with significant local support.

It just got harder for banks in Georgia to enforce noncompete agreements in employee contracts. For employees of two merging banks, BB&T and SunTrust, the timing couldn’t be better.

Even as consumer and CRE lending slowed in the first quarter, business lending — particularly to middle-market companies — surged. But some banks are already warning that the growth could taper off as competition from nonbanks heats up.

How Jamie Dimon's salary ties into the broader discussion about pay inequity; how 5G could change the future of banking; Comerica's first new CEO in 17 years; and more from this week's most-read stories.

The two banks’ CEOs used a public hearing to argue their merger will be a boon for underserved markets. But other speakers warned that bank consolidation hurts communities.

In separate letters to President Trump and the head of the FDIC, the Senate Democrat said the merger cannot be approved until all five seats of the agency's board of directors are filled.

Interbrand will work with management of both banks, which have agreed to merge, to create a unified brand and logo.

Asked whether the BB&T-SunTrust deal had sparked a desire to pursue deals, Andy Cecere emphasized a focus on digital upgrades and opening branches in new markets.

Executives at the Tennessee banks are using the biggest bank merger in a decade to aggressively recruit lenders and clients in Southeastern markets.

Allison Dukes says she will not be joining the combined company because she wants to remain in Atlanta, where she is involved with several civic and philanthropic organizations. The merged company will be headquartered in Charlotte, N.C.

The two banks will each give $15 million to the Foundation for the Carolinas, which supports affordable housing development in Mecklenburg County.

Community and regional banks may not be able to outspend their larger rivals, but they can be more nimble in implementing the necessary culture change.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, the Senate Banking Committee's top Democrat, said the banks failed to provide enough information on how their proposed combination would affect employees and consumers.

It was early on a February morning when Charlotte, North Carolina, Mayor Vi Lyles got the call: BB&T would combine with SunTrust in the largest bank deal in a decade and wanted to place its headquarters in her city.

Simple math only partly explains why smaller lenders are adding commercial and industrial loans at a faster clip than their larger counterparts.

As competitive pressures mount for midsize banks, more institutions are likely to follow the lead of BB&T-SunTrust and amass more resources for investing in AI, digital platforms and other cutting-edge technologies.

BB&T-SunTrust deal came together with remarkable speed; Citi and Chase take on fintechs at their own game; CECL spells trouble for small banks, consumers; and more from this week’s most-read stories.

The Federal Reserve and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. will hold two public meetings to consider the deal's impact on the U.S. banking system.

The combined bank would be chartered in North Carolina, with the FDIC serving as its lead federal regulator, N.C. Banking Commissioner Ray Grace says. The merger partners had other options, including the Fed and the OCC.

The banks have no choice but to pick a new name, marketing experts say, but good luck: The best ones may already be taken, made-up names can sound forced, and any change might nudge more customers to rethink their loyalties.