Goldman Sachs

The firms were initially slated to be included in a newly merged trade association, but they were blocked after some executives objected to adding more Wall Street banks.

Senior executives from Barclays, Bank of America and other big banks urged women to aim high, take chances on challenging jobs and — perhaps most important — provide support to other high-performing female colleagues instead of viewing them as a threat.

Banks feeling the pressure in commerical lending from lightly-regulated, cash-flush competitors; financial institutions take "an increasingly militarized approach" to fighting cybercrime.

Lloyd Blankfein will probably step down as Goldman Sachs' chief executive officer in December, according to a published report. David Solomon has been seen as the heir apparent, but the timing of the changeover had been unclear.

The proposed change would give banks more leeway in making trades and put more onus on regulators to challenge their judgments, sources said.