Commercial lending

A California bank with deep ties to the U.S. venture capital industry is targeting Denmark for growth, as a lack of regulatory constraints on lending make the country a preferred destination in Scandinavia.

New tech lets American Express instantly issue cards to immigrants; the end of Libor raises concerns about financial stability; regulators shutter banks in Kentucky and Ohio; and more from this week's most-read stories.

The parent of Silicon Valley Bank is as bullish as Citi on the growth potential in China, despite the trade war. SVB's focus on early-stage startups is boosting its profits from Asia.

Bank and other lenders are said to have poured hundreds of billions of dollars into financing private-equity firms and their investment deals in recent years. Defaults have been low, but an economic slowdown could put these relationships to the test.

Executives at banks in California say there's only so much they can do until the flames subside.