Credit quality

The Toronto-based bank set aside CA$1.5 billion in its fiscal fourth quarter to cover potentially bad loans. Executives say higher-than-normal impaired losses could persist next year.

The Wilmington, North Carolina, company reported a breakout quarter for loan production, but profits fell as an increase in nonperforming loans led to higher provisioning.

Despite strong growth and solid profits, the Miami-based lender, formerly a business development company, still hasn't convinced the market it fits in as a bank.

An American Bankers Association panel of forecasters predicted slower growth, but it said the U.S. economy would likely avoid a recession, sparing lenders deep credit quality woes.

The Cleveland-based regional bank continues to benefit from strength in investment banking, though concerns about stalled loan growth emerged as CEO Chris Gorman described demand as tepid.

The Cleveland-based regional bank was not well positioned for the sharp rise in interest rates last year. But executives say the year ahead will be different, pointing to strong credit quality and a repricing of Key's securities portfolio.

The 10 largest credit unions in the nation all saw surges in credit card charge-offs in the third quarter, as a growing number of consumers struggle to make ends meet.

But high costs and any downturn in the economy could weigh on lenders and their commercial borrowers in coming months, economists caution.

Washington Trust shares plunged after the Westerly, Rhode Island, company disclosed it booked an office deal in the third quarter, boosting the size of its portfolio while other lenders are pulling back.

Worried about the economy and new Fed rules on capital, the bank wants to hang onto its money just in case, CFO Daryl Bible told investors as he outlined second-quarter earnings.