Commercial lending

It's difficult to predict exactly what might be the next threat to the financial system. Here's a roundup of some prime suspects.

Big banks are expected to report that commercial lending weakened in the third quarter thanks to tax cuts, nonbank competition and seasonal factors. It raises questions about whether the second-quarter rally was an anomaly and if an overall economic slowdown is edging closer.

The agency's 7(a) program had a small year-over-year decline, with bankers pointing to lender discipline and more borrowers qualifying for conventional loans.

Credit unions in the Great Lakes State continued to add members in Q2 while a variety of loan types saw double-digit growth.

Wells Fargo is doubling down on the gun industry, undaunted by criticism of its deep ties to firearm companies and the National Rifle Association.

A paper released by the agency’s Center for Financial Research says aspects of someone’s digital footprint — including whether they use Apple or Android — help predict likelihood of default.

Banks are being encouraged to offer smaller loans as an alternative to payday products, but their high interest rates can still put consumers in debt.

The economy could “positively slow down in mid-2019” and consumer debt levels are a huge concern, but technology and lessons learned from the crisis could still create opportunity for small banks, says Beneficial’s Gerry Cuddy ahead of a big speech on current conditions.

The agency found that banks with less than $10 billion in assets were more prone than larger lenders to go beyond using standard criteria in evaluating borrowers.

Among the three measures is a requirement for boards of publicly traded firms to include more women.