Commercial lending

The intersection of fintech and ag banking is still ripe for innovation. Banks and fintechs are looking for specialized solutions for their ag customers, from harvesting data to managing cash flow fluctuations.

The beleaguered bank said it is selling 74 loans totaling about $2.6 billion to a subsidiary of Kennedy-Wilson Holdings. The move is part of a plan to pursue strategic asset sales, trim expenses and shore up its balance sheet.

Lenders in coveted locations with stable deposit bases are bullish about their expansion opportunities despite the shadow the banking crisis and recession fears have cast on the rest of the industry.

After the departure of a key Small Business Administration official, lawmakers from both parties are calling on the SBA's chief to delay rules that could open the agency's biggest lending program to more nonbanks — or even consider reversing the changes.

The Florida lender hired corporate bankers in New York City who had previously worked at First Republic Bank, which collapsed last week.

The Federal Reserve's survey of senior loan officers is being closely watched since it follows the recent turmoil in the banking industry, which has prompted concerns that a pullback in bank lending could slow economic growth.

The fund, which aims to create a self-sustaining, nationwide secondary market for CDFI microloans, has made progress, but it remains far short of its goal, its managing director said.

Banks grappled with a litany of questions throughout earnings season about the likelihood of a recession and the potential for increased pressure on commercial real estate borrowers.

The 34-page document demands that the bank get regulatory nonobjection for every new fintech partnership and requires the bank to step up its monitoring of partners' compliance with banking laws.

BayFirst Financial, which says it lost $1.6 million when a planned Small Business Administration loan sale to Signature fell through, plans to file a claim for the lost revenue with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

The Minneapolis bank has launched a special-purpose credit program that aims to help businesses owned by women, minorities and veterans. Borrowers with comparatively low credit scores and cash flows will qualify for lending products of up to $2.5 million.

The Oklahoma lender said its oil-and-gas portfolio remains a key source of stability and potential growth, despite weaker commodity prices.

At the two big banks, proposed phaseouts of lending for new fossil-fuel exploration drew less shareholder support on Tuesday than they did a year ago. The results were a blow to activists who want big banks to take stronger action to combat climate change.

Rep. Roger Williams, chairman of the House Small Business Committee, says Small Business Administration is considering allowing borrowers to self-certify eligibility for loans, a step some believe could lead to more fraud. The agency declined to say whether that is one of the changes it's considering.

Texas National Bank in Mercedes, Texas, is testing how alternative data can improve the speed and accuracy with which it lends to its small-business customers.

Reacting to a sharp uptick in charge-offs, Synchrony more than doubled its provision for credit losses during the first quarter to account for further shocks along with healthy loan-portfolio growth as more consumers revolve credit card balances.

The head of the Council of Federal Home Loan Banks argues that the special lien status of Home Loan bank advances, created by legislation in the 1980s, is largely irrelevant in today's marketplace.

The hotel, retail and multifamily residential sectors are all showing signs of recovery, which is helping the regional bank. But company executives acknowledged that the firm's relatively large exposure to the office segment figures to pose challenges for some time.

Lofty fertilizer and equipment costs are forecast to cut into profits this year. Farmers are expected to seek loans to cover higher expenses, but bankers are likely to be cautious in granting credit given recessionary pressures.

Kyle Bass's expectation of more pain in the office market reflects a more widespread view that the pandemic has driven a semi-permanent shift toward remote and hybrid work that imperils lower quality buildings.