Banks

Alabama Bankers Association CEO Says Banks Are Secure During Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has many people wondering about their economic future and the safety of their money. The head of the Alabama Bankers Association says banks across the state have been preparing for a crisis of this magnitude for years.

Uncovering Elder Financial Abuse? It’s Tricky.

The elderly can be easy targets for financial abuse. First, they might have money saved from a lifetime of working. Plus they might not be as alert to scams or people taking advantage of them. Banks and other financial institutions can sometimes spot potential problems early. That’s just the beginning of what can be a sticky issue.

The Year Ahead for Transit in Birmingham

In this week's Magic City Marketplace, what to expect from Birmingham transit in 2017 and the effect of an interest rate hike on Birmingham banks.

Small Banks Continue Move to Birmingham

Birmingham’s banking sector has seen smaller banks entering the market hoping to latch onto growth in the state’s biggest metro area. So far in 2016, that trend is not slowing. We start there in this week’s Magic City Marketplace. The Birmingham Business Journal's Ty West also explains how the healthcare community is reacting to a General Fund budget Alabama's Medicaid commissioner says is below what's needed to maintain services.

UAB — Going More Dense and Vertical

UAB has been jokingly referred to as the university that ate Birmingham because of the steady growth its campus has seen through the decades. It’s an anchor of the region’s economy and a new master plan outlines where university leaders want to take Birmingham’s largest employer. We talk about it in this week's Magic City Marketplace. Birmingham Business Journal editor Ty West also discusses plans for development around Birmingham's CrossPlex and why lower oil prices are bad news for banks.

A Potential Change for Credit Unions has Banks Unhappy

One winner in the recovery since the Great Recession has been credit unions. They’ve seen growth in membership and lending activity. And that’s put them at odds with those who traditionally handle services like this – banks. We hear about it in this week’s Magic City Marketplace. Birmingham Business Journal editor Cindy Fisher Crawford tells WBHM’s Andrew Yeager about what drove that growth for credit unions.

Daughters and the CEO

Women make up half the world, but men still dominate in the business world. That's particularly true when it comes to executive positions. While women certainly have made progress, one factor in their efforts may be unexpected -- the daughters of executives. We explain in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.

New Publix Distribution Center to be Built in Jefferson County

The Florida-based grocery store chain Publix moved into the Birmingham market 13 years ago and now the company appears ready to make an investment beyond just stores. Jefferson County political leaders say Publix will build a $34 million distribution center in western Jefferson County. We talk about that in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.

Birmingham Companies Starting to Spend their Piles of Cash

After the recession many American companies were holding onto tons of cash. Birmingham companies were no different. But even with an improving economy, those reserves at Birmingham firms are still growing. We talk about it with Birmingham Business Journal editor Cindy Crawford in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.

The Decline of Bank Branches

Banking, like many industries, has seen technology-driven disruption. The latest victim of change is the neighborhood bank branch. With people writing fewer checks and many bank services available through a smart phone, demand for a brick-and-mortar building is dropping. We talk about that in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.