Commercial real estate lending

A new study from CUNA Mutual Group shows CUs ended March with tepid growth in membership and auto and real estate loans compared with a year earlier.

Ask 453 bankers their forecasts on loan demand and the economy, or their feelings about the BB&T-SunTrust merger, pot banking as well as other hot issues, and a clear picture emerges. Promontory Interfinancial Network recently did just that, and here our five takeaways from the results.

The New York bank says it acted appropriately in withholding the collateral on a loan to a developer that First Foundation Bank later refinanced. First Foundation’s CEO begs to differ.

Housing advocates and Democratic lawmakers want to create more protections for tenants of rent-controlled apartments, but they are facing stiff opposition from property owners and the banks that lend to them.

Even as consumer and CRE lending slowed in the first quarter, business lending — particularly to middle-market companies — surged. But some banks are already warning that the growth could taper off as competition from nonbanks heats up.

Overall loan growth at the Tulsa, Okla., company was muted, however, as an increase in early paydowns lowered commercial real estate loan balances.

The Alabama company recorded a $91 million loan-loss provision and raised deposit rates during the first quarter.

Sloane, who died on Saturday, refused to bulk up on commercial real estate loans, a move that helped him survive two severe economic downturns.

The Los Angeles bank will take a $1.4 million hit to earnings after the multifamily properties sold for less than their book value.

Some lenders, especially in markets like California, are preparing in case of a technology-industry stumble that hurts business, real estate and other loan segments. Whether those fears are well founded is a matter of debate.