Rising vacancy levels, soaring interest rates and weaknesses exposed by recent bank failures have analysts and investors worried about banks' outsized exposure to high-rise office, apartment and retail properties.

On the anniversary of the Center for Disease Control's mask guidance, banks and credit unions are striking a balance between health and branch security.

Stripping out the 25 largest banks by U.S. assets, Federal Reserve data showed the industry gained back $5.8 billion of deposits.

The Pacific Northwest bank said Robert Butterfield would replace veteran finance chief Peter Conner, who plans to retire this year.

Peapack-Gladstone Financial CEO Doug Kennedy is betting that giving his workforce the same hospitality training hotel employees receive will lead to better customer service and a healthier bottom line.

In March's roundup of American Banker's favorite stories: How rising interest rates took community banks by surprise, small banks and credit unions react to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, ex-Wells Fargo executive Carrie Tolstedt faces potential jail time and more.

Questions about the durability of community banks' customer bases and funding costs could dominate first-quarter earnings calls following the downfalls of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.

Lenders had started tightening as early as the fourth quarter in anticipation of a possible recession. Now, the banking crisis is driving community and regional banks in particular to hit the brakes harder, stoking renewed recessions fears.

Diversity, equity and inclusion has only grown in importance to the financial services industry over the last few years. For that reason, DEI philosophies are becoming a bigger concern as buyers and sellers try to determine how their corporate cultures might mesh.

The banks invested in bonds at a time when rates were low, and their value has since dropped substantially. While there appears to be very little risk that the banks will ever have to realize the losses, an American Banker data analysis raises questions about whether regulators should toughen their monitoring of interest rate risk.

A reasonable approach to comprehensive credit risk management can protect banks against the impact of a recession while ensuring the industry doesn't contribute to any potential economic volatility.

The combined bank would have more than $8 billion of assets. The acquisition counters a trend of slowed merger activity amid regulatory pressure and an ongoing banking industry crisis.

American Banker is now accepting applications for the Best Banks to Work For 2023 ranking.The registration deadline is May 12.

On top of recession fears and elevated regulatory scrutiny, worry about the banking industry's weakness could delay the approval of mergers such as Toronto-Dominion Bank's pending acquisition of First Horizon.

The company agreed to pay $27.2 million in restitution to shareholders and revised its 2022 earnings to show a steep loss. The plea agreement with the Department of Justice was tied to Sterling's now defunct low-documentation mortgage program.

1831 Bancorp and South Shore Bancorp plan to join forces to bolster their collective resources and competitive standing in New England's largest market.

Buoyed by higher profits and an influx of deposits from prepaid corporate debit cards, Patriot National Bancorp appears to be nearing a deal that would boost its size and expand its digital-banking capacities, Chairman Michael Carrazza says.

Analysts are increasingly focused on rising office property vacancy rates, driven by remote-work trends and higher costs of living. They are worried that cash-strapped landlords could default on loans and cause losses in banks' CRE portfolios.

Community lenders do not share the problems that led to the downfall of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank — but their customers and members don't always know that.