Banking and Lending
Ellafi Goes All In for Women
By Sam Minton | June 12, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkWhile looking for a niche and need to fill, the former Seasons FCU zeroed in on a historically underserved population – women. Market research and survey responses made it clear that while women are often in charge of finances and financial decisions, they aren’t comfortable with the responsibility. And thus was born Ellafi FCU, with a mission to create economic resilience and empower women to achieve financial independence.
Investor Selling Activity Stays Flat in New England
By Sam Minton | June 10, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkWhile investors aren’t purchasing as many single-family homes compared to prior years, they are selling more of these properties.
HELOC Lending Increases in Hartford in Q1
By Sam Minton | June 9, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkHELOC lending increased 14 percent in the first quarter of the year in the greater Hartford region.
Fed Lifts Restrictions on Wells Fargo’s Growth Seven Years After Fake-Accounts Scandal
By Ken Sweet | The Associated Press | June 4, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkThe bank operates around two dozen branches in Connecticut, and has $8.17 billion worth of in-state deposits.
PeoplesBank Acquires Naming Rights to Hartford Arena
By Sam Minton | June 3, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkPeoplesBank has continued to invest in marketing for its Connecticut expansion by acquiring the naming rights to what was formerly the XL Center.
A New Name in Time for a Big Anniversary
By Sam Minton | May 29, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkEssex Savings Bank is shortening its name to Essex Bank, a change that President and CEO Diane Arnold reflects that the bank has become more than a place for individuals in Connecticut to store their savings.
Chase Plans 14 New Offices for High-End Wealth Management
By Sam Minton | May 28, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkChase is expanding its affluent banking offering by opening 14 new J.P. Morgan Private Client “financial center” offices across four states, including New York and Massachusetts.
Consumer Confidence Rebounds After Five Straight Months of Declines
By Matt Ott | The Associated Press | May 27, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkAmericans’ views of the economy improved in May after five straight months of declines sent consumer confidence to its lowest level since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, largely driven by anxiety over the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Senate Passes Bill to Prevent Future ‘Zombie’ Mortgages
By Alex Appel | Connecticut Inside Investigator | May 21, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkAn Act Concerning A Study Relating to Banking Issues imposes a 10-year statute of limitations for so-called “zombie mortgages” on one- to four-family dwellings.
Trump’s Massive Import Taxes Haven’t Done Much Economic Damage – Yet
By Paul Wiseman, Christopher Rugaber and Anne D'Innocenzio | The Associated Press | May 20, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkFor now, the disconnect has businesses and consumers struggling to reconcile what they were told to expect, what the numbers say and what they are seeing on the ground.
Innovation Helped CT’s Top LOs Win
By Sam Minton | May 19, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkThe state’s loan originators had to deal with high interest rates and low inventory as they tried to get their customers into homes but were still able to succeed in 2024.
Thomaston Savings Bank Partners With Paige to Simplify Legacy Planning
By Sam Minton | May 16, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkThomaston Savings Bank has partnered with Paige, a legacy planning platform, to offer streamlined estate planning services to families and businesses across Connecticut.
Fed Official Sees Signs of Slowing Economy
By Christopher Rugaber | The Associated Press | May 12, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkA top Federal Reserve official said Friday that massive uncertainty created by President Donald Trump’s tariffs has caused some businesses to cut back on hiring and spending.
New England Remain Equity-Rich in First Quarter
By James Sanna | May 9, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkHomes in New England are among the most equity-rich in the nation, according to a new report from Attom.
Federal Reserve Faces Tough Balancing Act on Rates
By Christopher Rugaber | The Associated Press | May 7, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkThe Federal Reserve could keep its key rate unchanged for several more months as it evaluates the impact of President Donald Trump’s widespread tariffs on hiring and inflation, some economists say, even as the White House pushes for a rate cut.
Manchester CU, California CU to Merge
By James Sanna | May 6, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkNortheast Family Federal Credit Union and Self-Help Credit Union (Self-Help) announced their merger Monday.
CT’s Seasons FCU Rebrands as ‘Ellafi Federal Credit Union’
By James Sanna | April 28, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkMiddletown-based Seasons Federal Credit Union is shedding its 20-year-old brand in favor of a new one – and a new mission.
Webster Bank Preparing for Possible Recession
By Sam Minton | April 25, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkWebster Bank executives say the bank is preparing for a potential recession as it strengthened its allowance for loan losses in the first quarter.
Berkshire Bank Sees Net Income Growth to Start 2025
By Sam Minton | April 24, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkEven with some economic turmoil to start the year, Berkshire Bank had a successful first quarter, seeing deposit and income growth.
Liberty Bank Lands Deal as ‘Official Bank’ of Hartford Yard Goats
By James Sanna | April 15, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkMiddletown-based Liberty Bank now has a big, new marketing platform: the 6,121-seat Dunkin’ Park next to downtown Hartford.
