Bank merger and acquisition activity rebounded this year, led by Fifth Third's $10.9 billion proposed purchase of Comerica. Huntington, PNC and Columbia were involved in some of the other biggest deals announced in 2025.

Proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services recommended approval of Fifth Third's $10.9 billion proposed acquisition of Comerica.

The acquisition forms the eighth largest mortgage servicer nationwide, with a combined $400 billion in mortgage servicing rights.

The industry expects resilient market conditions and fewer defaults, plus cheaper financing that supports M&A activity and more CLO issuance in 2026.

Hildene, which partners with Crosscountry Mortgage for non-QM securitizations, is doing this deal as part of its buy of an annuity provider, SILAC.

The Tacoma, Washington-based bank, which has completed two mergers since 2023, said Thursday that it will buy back up to $700 million of its own shares over the next year.

The Buffalo-based bank said Thursday that the paring of its CRE loan book, which has nearly halved in volume over the last three years, may be near its inflection point.

Johnson will be based in New York and joins a business development team focused on originating for Sagard's private credit business.

Bespoke securitizations have been gaining in popularity as private fund managers look for ways to raise cash amid a slump in dealmaking and fundraising.

Late-payment rates among U.S. borrowers rose again in the second quarter, according to a report from the New York Fed. The trend reflects a sharp increase in student loan delinquencies, which have been climbing as pandemic-era policies have expired.

The forward-flow agreement with the lending fintech comes as home renovation spending surged during the first half of this decade.

The two Southeast banks agreed to combine in a transaction valued at $8.6 billion. Synovus CEO Kevin Blair would be chief executive of the combined bank, but a slim majority of board members would come from Pinnacle.

A July pickup in activity is just a start, experts say. The banking industry's drive for scale and greater efficiency is expected to drive a renewed wave of consolidation, pushing the institution count lower.

Capital One closed the deal to buy the credit card provider in May and as part of the review process, decided to exit its home equity lending business.

Last October's structural reorganization prepped the firm for this year's volatility.

The CEOs of Bank of New York Mellon and Northern Trust have had at least one discussion about a potential merger, according to a Wall Street Journal article. On Monday, a spokesperson for Northern Trust said the bank "is fully committed to remaining independent."

Citigroup Inc. is structuring the so-called collateralized fund obligation, which will include both debt and equity portions.

This potential transaction would be part of a broader trend of mortgage lenders and servicing players converging, such as Rocket's recent acquisition of Mr. Cooper.

House Financial Services Committee ranking member Maxine Waters, D-Calif., led a group of Democrats in challenging Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over the current state of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.

After rapid changes in U.S. trade policy, banks and their clients are putting merger deals on ice until the dust settles.