Finance

The company will also slow investments in new products this year as it copes with economic uncertainty.

The Oklahoma bank grew fourth-quarter loans at a steady rate and said its regional economy is solid. But it is closely watching the impact of rising senior-care costs.

The Boston bank reported broad-based increases in loans during the fourth quarter, and said it's upbeat about its forecast for 2023. "I think the reason why we're comfortable is because we haven't changed our credit box at all," said CEO Nitin Mhatre.

The card network sees digital payment opportunities and upside from China's reopening, but inflation and the slower pace of travel spending could slow growth.

With the $7.5 billion acquisition, the Minneapolis bank bolstered its customer base in the nation's most populous state by more than 1 million. Earnings accretion from the combination could offset slower loan growth this year.

While branch closings remain the norm throughout the industry, the hunt for suddenly scarce deposits is prompting some community banks to move in the opposite direction and expand their branch networks.

The McLean, Virginia-based bank is building its deposit base — in contrast with many banks that are starting to see outflows. But the growth is accompanied by rising interest expenses, which are expected to cut modestly into profit margins this year.

The loan-growth projections are for Columbia Banking System itself, before the Tacoma, Washington, bank officially merges with Umpqua Holdings. The $5 billion deal is scheduled to close Feb. 28.

Members of the American Bankers Association's Economic Advisory Committee expect gross domestic product to stall in 2023. Other surveys show a modest contraction. Lenders say sentiment among their borrowers also points to a slight slowdown.

The Federal Reserve's quantitative-tightening program risks being propelled toward an early end as U.S. politicians bicker in Washington over raising the national debt limit, according to some economists and bond market participants.