Banking

A federal appeals court is putting the transfer of a lawsuit challenging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on hold pending the outcome of a hearing on the suit's appropriate venue.

The banking giant has launched an online platform that links small-business owners and entrepreneurs in need of capital to community development financial institutions. The platform was developed in partnership with Community Reinvestment Fund USA.

First National has agreed to buy Touchstone Bankshares. The combined company would have more than $500 million each of deposits and loans.

The top three industries includes software, healthcare and software development, accounting for 18.45%, 7.89% and 5.12%, respectively.

Two tranches of class A and B notes will raise $80 million from investors, to support Kalamata's business financing small business loans and merchant cash advances.

Bank mergers and acquisitions have slowed in recent years amid recession fears and other economic uncertainties. But bank consolidation is a century-old trend that's expected to rev up again as early as this year due to higher costs, tougher regulation and fierce competition.

The Long Island-based lender has released a number of new details about its reconfiguration following a $1 billion capital injection led by two former Trump administration officials.

In credit, a risk-taking ebullience has taken hold. The lowest-rated traded company debt is outgunning safer assets.

Former Trump administration officials Steven Mnuchin and Joseph Otting are headlining an investment group that's seeking to rescue the troubled Long Island lender. Otting is expected to serve as CEO, and Mnuchin will have a board seat.

Commercial real estate-related angst explains about 80% of issuer-level spreads in the US investment-grade debt market, with lenders with lower exposure generally trading tighter.