Commercial lending

The proposed implementing rule will squeeze credit for entrepreneurs and small businesses, adding more barriers to their success in an already-tight lending environment.

Senior loan officers recently told the Federal Reserve that loan demand weakened and underwriting tightened last quarter, but both at a slower pace than three months earlier. They anticipate demand for credit will improve, especially in the back half of the year — provided rates begin to fall.

The regional bank announced a leadership shakeup on Wednesday, capping a tumultuous week in which shareholders became spooked about its exposure to the commercial real estate sector.

In a bid for scale and diversification, Illinois-based Empeople Credit Union said it would expand in Wisconsin with the planned acquisition of TSB Bank.

Former Flagstar CEO Alessandro DiNello, who had been New York Community's nonexecutive chairman, was named executive chairman after the Long Island bank's stock price fell by more than 59% in a week. New York Community also issued updates on both its deposit situation and its search for a new chief risk officer.

A day after the regional bank's stock tumbled on tough fourth-quarter results and some austerity moves, observers debated whether management just needs time to build enough capital to catch up with growth or if it is still too overexposed in multifamily lending.

The parent company of Flagstar Bank surprised investors by slashing its dividend, charging off two large real-estate loans and preparing for more trouble in the office and multifamily sectors.

Experts predict the number of small businesses turning to an employee-ownership model will accelerate in the coming years. The would mean opportunities for banks that advise on such transitions.

Cullen/Frost in Texas, BankUnited in Florida and Bank OZK in Arkansas are among the banks that have, at least for now, allayed investors' fears about their exposure to the CRE sector.

Ten months after the Raleigh, North Carolina, company acquired a large chunk of Silicon Valley Bank, it says it is seeing good progress in keeping and winning back the latter's former customers. But the ongoing slowdown in private equity and venture capital activity will challenge the unit's growth.