CRE

For at least the fifth consecutive quarter, the Providence, Rhode Island, company increased its allowance for credit losses on general office loans, which continue to be a problem area for banks.

First Foundation will use the large investment to shrink its multifamily loan portfolio, which has weighed down its earnings since interest rates began rising.

Large banks, particularly those with over $100 billion in assets, see increasing supervisory shortcomings related to interest rate and liquidity risks, governance and risk control issues, and cite cybersecurity, CRE values, and remote work trends as potential hazards in the future.

Federal Reserve Governor Lisa D. Cook highlighted concerns over private credit growth, commercial real estate distress and escalating cyber threats in remarks on financial stability at the Brookings Institution Wednesday.

OakNorth Bank in London is eager to utilize the data it's collected from providing risk management software to American banks over the past five years. Its growth plans include eventually acquiring a charter here and making commercial real estate loans.

In talks with OCC officials, "it became obvious that we would not gain near-term approval given their recent experience with multifamily and CRE positions," FirstSun CEO Neal Arnold says. The companies announced other revisions to their deal, too.

The New York-based bank says it will push its concentration of commercial real estate loans below 400% of risk-based capital over the next two years and focus more on C&I.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen didn't directly address the turmoil at New York Community Bank, and said that while some smaller institutions could be hit by a changing commercial real estate market, she doesn't anticipate these mortgages will become a systemic risk.

Total loans at U.S. banks with less than $10 billion of assets grew by 1.9% in the third quarter, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data. That was a slowdown from the previous quarter, and concerns about the viability of commercial real estate lending could dampen activity further.

Stress tests suggest systemically important depositories could weather current risks. Meanwhile, single-family arrears remain low, but that business could be impacted.