Business borrowers are worried about the economy, and that could slow the momentum in lending the rest of the year, the heads of BB&T, Fifth Third and Huntington warn. However, banks can survive by stealing market share, focusing on stronger markets and managing risk, executives say.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. As excerpted from the Comments sections of AmericanBanker.com articles.

The Federal Reserve Board has put the kibosh on Virginia Commerce Bancorp's plan to start paying back the Treasury Department this summer.

The FDIC wants banks to remove its name from a fee that covers their deposit insurance assessments. Bankers say the instruction runs counter to complaints that bank fees are often too vaguely defined.

AmericanWest in Spokane, Wash., announced Thursday it plans to acquire the $221 million-asset Inland Community Bank for $23.7 million, or 95% of its book value. It is AmericanWest's third acquisition in California in a year.

Porter Bancorp (PBIB) of Louisville, Ky., did not have to look far to find the new leader for its struggling bank.

The Federal Reserve Board has ended a written agreement with Premier Financial that required the Dubuque, Iowa, company to develop a plan to maintain sufficient capital and an adequate allowance for loan and leases losses.

KeyCorp, which is still seeing expenses eat up more than two-thirds of its revenues, will cut costs and close branches in an effort to lower its efficiency ratio.

Magna Bank in Memphis, Tenn. has switched to a state charter, dumping the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in favor of a state regulator that management believes is more familiar with its local market.

Improved asset quality and sharp decline overhead expenses in the second quarter powered CVB Financial (CVBF) in Ontario, Calif., to its most-profitable quarter in its 38-year history.

Orrstown Financial Services (ORRF) sold $28.6 million of nonperforming commercial loans to an unnamed outside investor.

Strong loan growth helped Wintrust Financial more than double its income in the second quarter to $25.6 million. It offset a surge in salaries and other employee-related expenses.

Popular's (BPOP) shares tumbled Wednesday after the San Juan, Puerto Rico, company reported that second-quarter earnings fell from a year earlier.

Loan demand tracked the overall U.S. economy in June and the first half of July as growth was slight and spotty, the Federal Reserve Board reported Wednesday.

James Rohr, the Pittsburgh bank's CEO, swears off new deals after putbacks from former National City mortgages, added costs in integrating RBC USA acquisition and other deal-related ills hurt PNC's quarterly bottom line.

Jeremiah Norton expressed empathy for smaller banks during his first public remarks since joining the FDIC in April. Still, he rejected calls to delay implementation of Basel III capital requirements.

Heartland Financial (HTLF) will combine and rename two banks in Wisconsin under the name Wisconsin Bank & Trust.

On their face new brand identities may appear cosmetic, but they can also have a bottom-line payoff by distancing banks from anger customers feel over the financial crisis.