The bank M&A pipeline has improved significantly over the past month, and capital is available for institutions looking to grow amid the surge in investor interest in the banking sector, according to Bill Burgess, co-head of financial services investment banking at Piper Sandler. In the episode, Burgess said there are six factors contributing to renewed interest in bank deals, particularly following the recent U.S. elections. He noted that there is pent-up demand for deals after years of stagnation, a rally in bank stock prices has improved seller psychology, and interest rate marks have become more manageable for buyers. He anticipates a shorter regulatory approval process for bank deals and believes larger buyers could return to the M&A arena after getting more clarity on the post-election regulatory framework. Burgess also said capital is abundant for event-driven and growth stories but cautioned against an overly aggressive push for capital issuance driven by rising share prices.