Deferrals may be hiding credit issues, leading lenders to track deposit flows, property maintenance and other factors to gauge the true health of their portfolios.

The company says it plans to originate 40,000 mortgages for Black and Hispanic households and finance 100,000 affordable rental units over five years.

The company, which recently completed an audit, set aside funds to cover issues tied with a lending program it discontinued last year. The move cleared the way for Sterling to file an overdue annual report with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The industry says the 2017 cut in the corporate rate helped position lenders to support the economy when the pandemic hit. But a plan proposed by Democratic nominee Joe Biden could strain banks' capital investment and hiring, observers say.

HSBC, Bank of the West and Fannie Mae are among those offering green mortgage bonds, financing commercial clients’ efforts to rein in carbon emissions and developing other novel products that help customers tackle environmental challenges.

Low rates and intense competition might lead some banks to ease underwriting standards in 2021, when the economy may not yet have recovered.

The company's software can now be used to handle personal loans, credit cards and specialty-vehicle loans.

The company also found a buyer for its portfolio of equipment finance loans as it tries to clean up credit and refocus on middle-market lending.

Congress should pass legislation that would allow Home Loan banks to backstop deposits by local governments at commercial banks and lower the cost of bond financing, two mayors argue.

When Jane Fraser takes the reins of Citigroup in February, she will have to tackle the company’s cards slump, lagging performance metrics and challenges presented by employees’ return to the office.