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Shelter-in-place orders have given homeowners the time to pursue upgrades and repairs, and banks are seizing the opportunity to help finance the projects.

As protesters continue to take to the streets to express outrage over racial injustice and inequality, banks — for the first time — will commemorate the date that marks the end of slavery in the U.S.

Executives argue the rollouts will largely focus on new markets and work in tandem with digital banking efforts.

For Starbucks, the pandemic’s emergency workarounds are also a proving ground for a retail concept that could change the way people visit quick-serve restaurants.

Evidence suggests some minority-owned businesses can’t access loans, and the Trump administration is under pressure to report borrower demographics. The issue is gaining attention against the backdrop of protests over the George Floyd killing.

Mobile banking use has swelled since the pandemic hit, and law enforcement officials expect hackers to target the credentials of digital novices. The FBI stressed the importance of two-factor authentication and ensuring consumers know how to spot fake apps that carry malware.

Lenders are cautioning not only that second-quarter provisions might exceed the spike seen earlier this year, but also that credit costs could be elevated into 2021 if the economic slowdown drags on or fears of a second coronavirus wave are borne out.

The group behind NewBank is pursuing a charter with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to offer banking services nationwide.

Leaders of companies including Citizens, Comerica and Truist offered more upbeat assessments of loan demand and credit quality than they have in recent weeks. But others warned of weakness in key sectors such as energy and real estate, and said forbearance policies may be hiding potential pitfalls.

Some lawmakers fear that when forbearance plans and enhanced unemployment coverage expire, the consequences for mortgage borrowers still affected by the pandemic will be severe.

Customers are turning to search engines and business portals to find out if their bank is open before checking the bank’s own website. Maintaining accurate information across the web has become even more important during the pandemic.

Anita Gail Moody, who was president of Enloe State Bank, admitted to creating phony loan documents — and setting a fire to destroy them — before the bank was shuttered in May 2019.

The Department of Financial Services is going live with DFS FastForward, which aims to help innovators in finance, healthcare and insurance consult directly with regulators on specific compliance issues.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, financial institutions, wary of robberies, prevented customers from covering their faces. As branches reopen, public health concerns are forcing accommodations.

Lenders have a role to play in the national reconciliation that must follow the recent racial unrest — providing greater access to capital for African Americans and other underserved groups so they can build wealth, activists said at a panel discussion hosted by Berkshire Bank in Boston.

The quarantine and Citi's shift from hardware to software tokens have led to a 300% spike in commercial clients' opening of accounts online as well as increased digital banking use.

David Howard's leadership of the OceanFirst digital strategy and innovation team that has developed a robo adviser, an Alexa skill and other cutting-edge tools earned him recognition as one of American Banker's digital bankers of the year.

The veteran banker will serve as chief administrative officer, with responsibilities that include strengthening Citi’s data architecture, creating greater consistency in its dealings with regulators and enhancing its efforts to combat money laundering.