Retail & Commercial

A handful of credit unions have embarked on co-location strategies, sharing branch space with coffee shops and other businesses, but the social distancing era may force some institutions to rethink those plans.

s part of a global financial community, we must consider the long-term impact and see financial inclusion as a fundamental priority as we look to rebuild a fairer, more sustainable world, says Icon Solutions' Darren Caprehorn.

Spinning off its digital bank will allow Pennsylvania-based Customers to beef up its commercial lending and buy other banks. BankMobile, meanwhile, plans to pursue more white-label relationships and perhaps explore its own acquisitions.

Just eight loans had been made as of late July, six of them through a single community bank in Florida, according to new data on the federal rescue program for small and midsize companies hurt by the pandemic.

Credit card balances declined most sharply as consumers cut back their spending due to the coronavirus pandemic and associated shutdown orders, the New York Fed said Thursday. But delinquencies also fell across all debt categories, thanks to government and lender relief efforts.

A survey of companies that received funding from the Paycheck Protection Program also showed that respondents on average have cut their payroll costs by more than half.

The agency said property owners can enter into new or modified forbearance plans if they have a hardship due to the coronavirus, but the landlords must agree not to kick out renters solely for nonpayment of rent.

The digital bank would be sold to Megalith Financial, allowing Customers to focus on commercial lending and letting BankMobile expand more aggressively.

The digital bank, founded by a former Western Union president, offers tools to help low- and moderate-income people access their wages early, pay bills and engage in other financial services activities for a monthly fee.

One of the few clear implications from the initial two months of the lockdown with the changes to consumer behavior and the uncertainty ahead is the imperative for organizations to regain clarity on credit risk by obtaining a more complete picture of consumer creditworthiness, says LexisNexis Risk Solutions' Ankush Tewari.