A decade on from the sub-prime mortgage crisis, the US’s regional lenders are using their ample capitalisation as a springboard for acquisitions and digital initiatives. Jane Monahan reports.
Latest articles from Jane Monahan

US banks' social media is a work in progress
May 1, 2018The recent Facebook scandal over illicitly distributed personal data has thrust social media into the spotlight, but banking is a sector that faces stringent compliance over privacy. So how are US banks using social media channels to best engage customers and promote their business? Jane Monahan reports.

How will US banks benefit from Trump's shake-up?
February 1, 2018The wind of change is blowing in the US banking sector, thanks to a shake-up at the top of its regulatory bodies, a series of tax cuts and bipartisan support for a Senate bill proposing to raise the threshold at which banks are considered 'systemically important'. Jane Monahan reports.

US financial crime regime changes receive a warm welcome
October 2, 2017The US is gearing up for change in its onerous anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing and sanctions regimes – much to the relief of many banks. Jane Monahan reports.

Infrastructure: an asset class at last?
July 3, 2017At a recent Washington, DC forum, multilateral development banks (MDBs) agreed they should expand emerging market private sector investment in addition to lending to governments for major infrastructure projects. This, they agreed, needs a coherent and standardised approach, as Jane Monahan reports.

European investment banks take stronger foothold in the US
May 2, 2017The US is the most important market for investment banks, a fact not lost on the European players ramping up their activity in the country. Jane Monahan looks at how these institutions are competing against their American counterparts.

Dodd-Frank: the defence
March 1, 2017A US regulatory overhaul has been welcomed by many who believe Dodd-Frank has spawned too many regulations and prevents smaller banks from lending. However, there are concerns that the replacement Financial Choice Act will sweep away many of the safeguards designed to prevent a repeat of the 2008 crisis. Jane Monahan reports.

Jim Yong Kim: Rethinking the way the World Bank works
January 1, 2017World Bank president Jim Yong Kim speaks to Jane Monahan about the institution's changing approach to investing in infrastructure in developing economies, its national disaster emergency response, and how it is getting more involved in the renewable energy market.

Mexico’s banks upbeat despite domestic and foreign volatility
November 1, 2016With the US as its top export market and substantial exposure to oil prices, Mexico is precariously placed if the US recovery stalls or the oil price remains low. Despite this, the country’s largest banks are well capitalised and remain optimistic for the future, as Jane Monahan reports.

US government acts to combat shell companies across states
July 1, 2016With tax evasion, money laundering and finances for terrorism often concealed in offshore shell companies, the US is introducing rules to shine a light on the owners of these anonymous companies. But the government will not have an easy ride in bringing in the changes across all states, writes Jane Monahan.