Fintech

Technology companies like Square and Stripe have nimbly captured small-business share from banks that often overlooked the segment. Royal Bank of Canada is trying to respond through a mix of merchant services, tied to the national debit system and incentive marketing.

The Pittsburgh company’s “branch lite” approach to retail and middle-market banking in new markets will break even sooner than expected and has had a noticeable impact on loans and deposits.

The deal will create a nearly $500 million-asset bank.

The Minneapolis company attributed the uptick to new tech tools, additional loan officers and other process improvements — not to mention the refi boom fueled by lower rates. It’s a formula other banks are expected to copy.

They’ve long used their marketing muscle to wrest deposit share from smaller competitors. Now, amid growing concerns that the economy is weakening, they could be benefiting from consumers’ flight to safety.

Making a domestic or cross-border B2B payment should be as easy as a consumer making a payment at a retailer's point of sale. There are plenty of obstacles toward this goal, but also plenty of paths to success.

Prosecutors allege that Sylvia Ash, a judge in Brooklyn, N.Y., helped Kam Wong, the former CEO of Municipal, cover up his fraud scheme.

Net interest income rose just 1%, but the bank rode a surge in advisory and other fees to beat profit estimates.

The acquisition of Farmers & Merchants Bank created a bank with more than $200 million in assets.

Its quarterly results show lower rates and emerging credit risks can be overcome. Whether most banks have all the same levers to pull is another matter.