Banking

Financial institutions have trouble pinning down a common definition of AI and figuring out which of their processes incorporate the technology. That can lead to trouble with regulators.

The KBW Nasdaq Bank Index was up 18% year to date through July, supporting expectations for more banks to use their shares as currency to take out competitors.

U.S. banks need to start taking sustainability risk seriously

Despite the continuing trends of consolidation and limited startup activity, bankers and industry insiders say there is a path forward. But small lenders must evolve with changing technology.

The five largest bank M&A deals had an average deal value of more than $1.2 billion.

The Kansas City, Missouri-based regional bank said it is making progress on its pending purchase of Heartland Financial USA in Denver. The deal is expected to close during the first quarter of 2025.

Generative AI is exciting, but has limited fraud-busting utility. Instead of rushing to implement gen AI-powered anti-fraud initiatives, banks should focus on strengthening their existing security measures.

The top five banks and thrifts had combined assets of more than $13 trillion as of March 31, 2024.

The Hammond, Louisiana, company, which announced changes to its business strategy, cut 71 jobs and reduced its dividend to 8 cents per share.

The $330 million transaction announced late Monday would give the Jasper-based company a foothold in fast-growing Columbus, as well as in Cincinnati.

The buyer said the all-stock deal to buy The First Bancshares would create a combined bank with $25 billion of assets.

The Wilmington, North Carolina-based institution is pursuing a model that cuts out the middleman and embeds its services directly into fintech partners' platforms.

In a new survey of bank executives from IntraFi, 90% of respondents said instances of check fraud have increased in recent years and half want law enforcement to make check fraud a bigger priority to stop criminals from stealing checks in the mail.

The store-branded credit card company revised its revenue guidance upward on the assumption that the CFPB's late-fee cap won't take effect before 2025. Still, Bread is moving ahead with plans to make up some of the revenue that it stands to lose from the contested rule.

Fulton Financial taps Valley National's Richard Kraemer as its new CFO; UBS' veteran private banker Jenny Su has left the firm; Bank of America names Kevin Brunner head of global technology, media and telecommunications investment banking; and more in this week's banking news roundup.

First Foundation in Dallas recently got a $228 million capital injection led by Fortress Investment Group. Now it's announced plans to pivot away from its heavy focus on multifamily loans, which lost value as interest rates rose.

Fostering financial well-being among the country's fastest-growing demographic group is essential to the future of the American economy. And, not incidentally, it's also good for business.

Friday's deal for Premier Financial ends a five-year M&A hiatus for the Wheeling, West Virginia-based company while marking its expansion into Michigan.

ChoiceOne Financial Services would pay about $180 million to acquire Fentura Financial in a bid to expand in Detroit's suburbs. The deal would create a bank with more than $4 billion of assets.