Interest rates

Policymakers signaled more reductions lie ahead, a development that could curb lenders' net interest income in the near term but support economic growth and credit quality.

The regional bank has already seen a large reduction in "criticized" loans, and it expects that trend to pick up as lower borrowing costs alleviate the pain in the commercial real estate sector.

Underlying U.S. inflation unexpectedly picked up in August on higher prices for housing and travel, undercutting the chances of an outsize Federal Reserve interest-rate cut next week.

After hikes pinched profits across the industry, a move in the opposite direction could be the start of a more promising trend. But bankers caution that the immediate effects of a September rate cut figure to be small.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta president said the two mandates are in balance for the first time since 2021, although he is "not quite prepared" to declare victory over inflation.

It's unclear what will happen when the Fed starts cutting interest rates, but community banks will be there to support their customers no matter what the economy looks like.

Lower interest rates could bolster loan demand, credit quality and securities portfolios. But they could also curb lending profitability faster than they ease deposit costs, crimping net interest margins and eating into near-term profits.

The Bank of Japan's interest rate hike and plan for quantitative tightening have international markets scrambling to adjust to a new reality in which carry trade credit is tighter and a U.S. downturn is somewhat more likely.

The Alabama-based bank also said that its outlook for net interest income is brightening. Several other regional banks have offered similarly upbeat guidance in recent days.

Evergreen Money offers affluent savers both high returns and ready access to their money. The startup's founder, former PayPal CEO Bill Harris, says that increased regulatory scrutiny of bank-fintech partnerships is a positive development.

Higher funding costs, lower loan demand and the potential for increased credit costs continue to drag on the sector heading into second-quarter earnings season.

The best-performing larger Main Street Banks, those in the $2 billion to $10 billion asset class, were asset sensitive, a position that worked to their advantage as rates continued to climb in 2023.

Though hard times put a dent in profitability, asset quality and net interest margin continued to shine among the list of the best performing publicly traded community banks.

Irvine-based CBC Bancorp's $121 million deal for Bay Community Bancorp in Oakland stands out at a time when high rates have put a damper on both the number of deals taking place and the multiples sellers are paying.

Bank stocks are up this year as interest rates have leveled off and there are hopes that pressure on lenders' profits could moderate.

Nearly 15 years ago, Les Lieberman and other organizers of Porticoes Capital used a shelf charter to buy a spate of failed banks. Now they're hoping to replay the strategy.

What's the point of regulatory capital rules that ignore demonstrated problems, like unrealized losses? We need to rethink what banks' disclose to investors and regulators.

Banks and other financial market participants have been keyed into the central bank's communications around monetary policy expectations. But in an unpredictable economy, the guidance doesn't always hit the mark.

The San Antonio-based bank said that loan growth, fueled in part by its expansion in key Texas markets, may compensate for pressure on deposits. It slashed the number of rate cuts it expects this year from five to two.

Brendon Falconer, finance chief of the Indiana company since 2019, faces felony child molestation charges. But CEO James Ryan says management is focused on the CapStar integration and organic growth.