Retail & Commercial

For the Denver-based parent company of Sunflower Bank, the first quarter of 2026 was not entirely sunny. Loans grew dramatically, but so did charge-offs, with the lender charging off two credits worth more than $10 million.

Celtic Bank is the latest large Small Business Administration lender to turn to an AI origination platform for smaller-dollar loans. Live Oak Bank, which has been piloting the same platform, says it's poised for big growth in the same segment.

There's been an onslaught of nonbank financial technology company charter applications and approvals already this year.

The Pennsylvania-based regional bank said it will collaborate with OpenAI to deploy artificial intelligence across its commercial banking operations. OpenAI technical teams will be onsite to build custom AI capabilities.

In order for artificial intelligence to be useful, it has to be powered by accurate information, three community-bank executives agreed at a virtual panel hosted by American Banker.

In evaluating Enova's proposed acquisition of Grasshopper Bancorp, regulators must decide whether to allow lending products with annual percentage rates of nearly 100% into the national banking system.

The deposit insurance reform bill would give credit unions an on-ramp to competing for commercial accounts. A better alternative would be to reactivate the Transaction Account Guarantee program as needed.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is poised to finalize a contentious rule mandating the collection of demographic data on small-business borrowers, with the aim of ensuring equal access to credit for women and minority owners.

Bankruptcy filings rose 11.9% during the past 12 months, according to statistics from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts; JPMorganChase named Jerry Lee and Nick Richitt as global co-heads of health care investment banking; Goldman Sachs appointed Akila Raman as global head of its private and alternatives capital markets business; and more in this week's banking news roundup.

The Long Island-based regional bank, which has been in turnaround mode for two years, reduced its earnings per share guidance for 2026 and 2027. It cited an expected decrease in net interest income due to higher levels of payoffs and paydowns in commercial real estate.