For at least the fifth consecutive quarter, the Providence, Rhode Island, company increased its allowance for credit losses on general office loans, which continue to be a problem area for banks.

Citizens Financial Group announced the deal just weeks after saying that it would stop making car dealer financings.

Combined with its pending acquisition of HSBC's East Coast branches, the deal would give the Rhode Island-based Citizens a top-10 deposit market share in metropolitan New York.

Executives at Citizens Financial and Regions Financial said they plan to make policy changes that will reduce their reliance on the controversial but already dwindling charges.

Fears of widespread credit losses have largely subsided, but demand for new commercial real estate loans remains lackluster because many companies are sitting on so much cash they don’t need to borrow. Meanwhile, competition from private equity groups and other nonbank lenders is escalating.

Four lenders, led by Sallie Mae, have long dominated the market for private student loans. But they could soon face new competition from Navient and Nelnet.

Commercial real estate is their bread and butter, but many banks are scaling back in this vital loan category. Here’s why.

Amid the rise of online lending earlier this decade, banks were derided as being too slow to adapt. But over time it's become clear that banks hold key advantages over lending startups.