Regional banks

It’s hard to time the next economic slowdown. But lenders, many with lingering memories of the financial crisis, are taking steps now to limit exposure in commercial real estate, construction and other loan segments.

The year's second-biggest bank merger created a Midwestern regional with nearly $50 billion in assets, and its CEO and executive vice chairman don't intend to stop there.

Earnings at the U.S. unit of the Spanish banking giant Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria fell 13% from a year earlier.

Banks submit millions of Bank Secrecy Act filings each year, yet only a fraction are valuable to law enforcement.

To combat the notion that regional banks’ tech offerings are inferior, the combined BB&T-SunTrust will have to go “toe-to-toe” with big banks, BB&T chief Kelly King said ahead of shareholder approval of the deal Tuesday.

Credit quality is being second-guessed after several banks reported higher 2Q charge-offs.

The hiring of Tim Wennes was one a series of leadership changes announced Wednesday by the holding company for the bank and the auto lender Santander Consumer.

KeyCorp, Regions Financial and others have sacrificed short-term profits to avoid being crushed by an anticipated decline in interest rates.

Earnings at the Cincinnati company fell 25% from the same period last year, largely due to $109 million in expenses tied to its March acquisition of MB Financial.

Pressure to raise rates on deposits offset strong loan growth at the Salt Lake City company.

Weighing in on interest rate and other uncertainties facing all banks, Citizens Financial CEO Bruce Van Saun emphasized investments in point of sale, digital banking and other initiatives meant to enhance revenue down the road.

The Birmingham, Ala., company warned in its earnings call that moves by the central bank could make it harder to lower costs.

While executives at the Buffalo, N.Y., bank said they would take a closer look at spending, especially given the potential for interest rate cuts, they described investments in tech talent as an essential cost of doing business.

Ahead of a House hearing to examine his company's proposed merger with SunTrust, King tried to downplay regulatory concerns.

Executives at the Minneapolis bank, who expect two Fed rate cuts this year, said they can rely on growth in noninterest income to soften the blow.

CEO William Demchak, encouraged by early returns from new branches in Dallas and Kansas City, Mo., plans to enter even more markets.

The decision gives the vast majority of banks and credit unions another year to implement the controversial accounting method for loan losses.

The Minneapolis bank reported growth across several lending and noninterest income categories in the second quarter, which offset net interest margin pressures and declining deposit service fees.

The Memphis, Tenn., regional will explore the use of voice assistants as part of its digital banking push.

The agency's board voted 3-1 on Tuesday to give large banks additional time to comply with new rules that force them to keep better track of insured deposits.