Bank of the West intends to stop making indirect auto loans and will instead focus on financing purchases of boats and recreational vehicles. It’s just the latest example of a regional bank pouring more resources into the powersports sector.

The combination of low unemployment, rising wages and falling interest rates means more households are taking out loans for big-ticket items like speedboats and mobile homes.

Huntington Bancshares and U.S. Bancorp also said in recent days that they are eliminating jobs to reduce overhead and improve profits. With net interest margins shrinking and branch traffic continuing to decline, expect more banks to follow suit, analysts say.

The Ohio company, scheduled to report third-quarter results Thursday, blamed the decision on the squeeze interest rates are putting on revenue.

Zachary Wasserman will succeed Mac McCullough, who is retiring at the end the year.

Sandy Pierce wanted to better understand how to help colleagues further their careers, so she came up with four questions that are now used in talent reviews at the $108 billion-asset Huntington.

A small gesture early in Helga Houston’s banking career has informed her approach to guiding younger bankers on sometimes-delicate matters.

The new products, along a 2% cash-back credit card, are aimed at helping customers build savings and reduce debt.

Building off the popularity of its personal financial management tool, HelloWallet, the Cleveland bank is now offering in-person financial checkups as a way to deepen customer relationships.

The Columbus, Ohio, company said Thursday that it expects the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates twice this year and two more times in 2020.

The Columbus, Ohio, bank has hired a former executive from Bank of America to run the new business, which will target physician, dentist and veterinary practices.

Speaking at a conference on Wednesday, CFO Howell McCullough mostly ruled out a merger of equals as a growth strategy for the $108 billion-asset Huntington.

Stephen Steinour said it was pure conjecture that Huntington was a possible suitor for the Dallas bank if it decides to put itself up for sale at some point. He emphasized Huntington's core-growth strategy and upbeat economic signs from consumers and businesses.

Investors seem to be betting that a long-rumored sale of the Dallas company is on hold now that it has named a new CEO, but analysts say it remains an attractive takeover target for a larger regional bank.

Fifth Third is helping consumers — and millennials in particular — save for big-ticket purchases with a new tool that squirrels away small sums into an account that can’t be immediately accessed.

The stars aligned for the two longtime rivals to join forces, and some observers speculate that other regional banks will need to strike similar partnerships if they hope to remain competitive. But others say such deals are rare because they're hard to pull off.

At banks of all sizes — from the $7.2 billion-asset WSFS Financial to the $373 billion-asset Capital One — marketing budgets ballooned in the fourth quarter.

The New York company will also match donations made by its employees to Feeding America and United Way Worldwide.

With SBA lending at a standstill, many small businesses can't access the capital they need to create and retain jobs, Stephen Steinour says.

Its savings, budgeting, spending and goal-setting tools, combined with artificial intelligence to add smart insights and advice, are a good example of how regional banks are trying to distinguish their mobile products from those of bigger banks with larger tech budgets.