Jon Prior

In the wake of Hurricane Ida, the latest storm to batter the Gulf Coast, John Hairston is grappling with the consequences of a warming planet. He suggests that it's imperative for banks and their regulators to be part of the solution.

Alastair Borthwick, the president of global commercial banking, will succeed Paul Donofrio, who is transitioning to a new role as head of sustainable finance. The company also appointed three women to its executive leadership team.

Subprime borrowers whose credit scores have risen since they bought their cars are increasingly looking for a better deal. Credit unions and small banks are seizing the opportunity, often with the help of fintechs.

In late July, the Justice Department notified the Houston bank of a potential lawsuit alleging violations between 2013 and 2017, according to a securities filing. Cadence said that its prospective merger partner, BancorpSouth, supports the settlement discussions.

Comerica, which focuses on the energy sector, reported strong payment trends last quarter, while M&T, which concentrates more on real estate, showed deterioration. The divergence reflects varying exposures to sectors hit hard by the COVID-19 recession.

Fitch says it will be weighing failures of management standards and practices at banks more heavily when considering possible downgrades. ESG advocates are cheering the development.

Legacy contracts using the London interbank offered rate — which is set to be phased out at the end of this year — were granted a reprieve to mid-2023. However, there is no wiggle room on when the rate will expire for new deals, said Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Randal Quarles.

UMB Financial’s success in aviation financing has boosted fee income, and the Missouri company has opened an office in Dublin — a hub for airplane sales and leases that could get busier as the airline industry restructures.

Already contending with stressed retail, hotel and restaurant loans, bankers are beginning to view office lending — historically a safe bet — as increasingly risky as companies of all types rethink their space needs.

Shared national credit balances rose 5% last year, and the percentage of at-risk loans nearly doubled. Regulators point out that banks have stashed away extra capital, but a lot will depend on the speed of the economic recovery and the performance of nonbank loans.