Commercial lending

Orchard Platform Markets, a provider of lending data and services backed by the former heads of Citigroup and Morgan Stanley, is set to be acquired by the small-business lending platform Kabbage, said people familiar with the deal.

Investors are growing worried about lackluster loan growth this year at community banks.

Loan growth and higher yields helped offset a 20% increase in expenses at the Arkansas bank in the first quarter. Meanwhile, it warned of one-time rebranding costs to come in the third quarter.

The 106-year-old bank is looking to raise $90 million, with plans to use half of the funds to redeem outstanding preferred stock.

A plan to bring in banks was created right after last summer’s hurricane devastation, but the magnitude of those storms, government dawdling on the issue and lenders’ reluctance to participate are key reasons zero loans have been made under the program.

TriStar Bank in Tennessee says a shortage of appraisers is slowing down its commercial real estate lending and raising the cost of appraisals. The claim has outraged appraisers, who argue that the bank is simply trying to avoid paying their fees.

The Seattle bank's improved loan yields offset higher expenses tied to Bank Secrecy Act remediation. Washington Federal had to delay a pending acquisition after issues emerged with its anti-money-laundering compliance.

Bank of America plans to stop lending to companies that make assault-style guns used for nonmilitary purposes.

Questions about the CFPB’s structure, high-profile enforcement actions and the acting director’s rift with Elizabeth Warren could dominate two days of hearings on Capitol Hill.

Following its acquisition last November of Capital Bank in North Carolina, First Horizon will fund mortgage and small-business lending in low-income areas of the Southeast and expand its vendor relationships with minority-owned firms.