Commercial lending

The Rhode Island bank continues to build out a national consumer banking platform, while also reducing its exposure to higher-risk asset classes as the economic outlook darkens.

Women focused on environmental, social and governance issues are seeing career opportunities open as sustainable finance initiatives become more critical to a bank's success.

WaFd Bank is benefiting from strong demand for real estate development loans, even in the face of rising interest rates. It's looking for ways to slow growth to maintain its capital levels, CEO Brent Beardall says.

In a policy proposal published Tuesday, Fed staffers called for supervisory changes to accommodate banks with commercial real estate loans still reeling from COVID.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency soon will commence a review of the Federal Home Loan Bank System. For the process to be successful, the actual users of the system and the institutions that will be the most impacted by any changes to its mission, mandate or role need to add their voice to the conversation.

So far this year, banks have reported that borrowers continue to repay their loans and delinquency rates remain low. But there are signs that this may change.

Banks including Wells Fargo, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase have pulled back on financing for offices and other commercial real estate following a record burst of lending in the first half of this year. 

A new group called MoreThanFair aims to establish the lines between fair and unfair lending, to set best practices for the use of AI in lending and to lessen the stigma of fintech lenders.

Bank of America says August was its best month ever for Small Business Administration lending and that it's optimistic a new program supporting women and minority commercial real estate borrowers could boost production even more.