Economy

The pace of the U.S. recovery picked up somewhat in the past two months, sparking price pressures as businesses contended with worker scarcity and rising costs, the Federal Reserve said.

The funding requests break sharply with the Trump administration's calls to eliminate key housing funds and backing for community development financial institutions. The White House also wants to substantially increase the budgets of the Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration.

The U.S. unit of Toronto-Dominion Bank plans to invest in CDFIs and specialized funds that serve Black, Hispanic and other diverse business owners in its East Coast territory.

The Treasury secretary previewed President Biden's budget by urging lawmakers to fund the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's establishment of a beneficial ownership regime.

DeVito takes over on June 1, replacing interim CEO Mark Grier, who returns to his seat on the government-sponsored agency's board.

With rock-bottom rates suppressing interest income, some buyers are looking beyond traditional M&A and striking deals for asset managers, insurance firms and other businesses that generate the bulk of their revenue from fees.

Cypress Trust in Palm Beach is poised to pull off a rarity: the conversion of a wealth management firm into a community bank. It’s simply another way to take advantage of the ongoing melding of the two financial services sectors, CEO Dana Kilborne says.

The Massachusetts bank, which traditionally In contrast to its typical strategy of supporting low-income housing, the invested $500,000 in CEI Ventures’ Coastal Ventures V fund to support small businesses in disadvantaged communities.

The bank is launching a business called Morgan Health aimed at improving employee benefits and promoting health equity, first for JPMorgan’s workers and then for other large companies.

During a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Democrats largely praised the policy decisions of acting regulators named by the Biden administration and knocked their predecessors. But Republicans warned that moves to reverse Trump-era policies would leave financial institutions without a clear road map.

Instead of injecting cash into Commonwealth National Bank, Regions Bank is taking a more targeted approach: providing funding for the community development financial institution to hire a commercial banker.

The U.S. arm of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group has hired nine bankers away from Wells Fargo in an effort to expand its restaurant finance group. The lender focused on the fast-casual and quick-serve segments during the pandemic and anticipates growth in that sector.

Year to date Dec. 31, 2020. Dollars in thousands (Dec. 31, 2020)

On Dec. 31, 2020. Dollars in thousands.

On Dec. 31, 2020. Dollars in thousands.

Even before the pandemic, almost half of SMB customers were being turned away by their own banks for a small business loan. Enter COVID-19, and banks and credit unions are still not keeping up with the surging demand for capital, says LendingFront's Jorge Sun.

Michael Butler relied on partnerships with tech startups in areas such as checking and mobile banking to turn Radius into a digital-only bank before its sale to LendingClub. As the new CEO of Grasshopper Bank, he plans to strike similar deals to expand beyond business lending.

Some worry the Senate’s rejection of the OCC rule hampers efforts to clarify legal standards for banks selling loans to fintechs.

Three Republicans joined Senate Democrats in voting to overturn a rule issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency that makes it easier for national banks to sell loans to nonbanks. A companion resolution has been introduced in the House.

On Dec. 31, 2020. Dollars in thousands.