Joe Fenech, head of equity research at Hovde Group, discussed current bank stock valuations, the growing importance of deposits in valuing franchises and the market's increased skepticism toward M&A, including transactions that appear favorable for the buyer.

Mick Mulvaney, the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, has changed the way the agency operates and reduced enforcement actions against banks. Now, Mulvaney is turning his attention to a powerful tool used by the agency called the civil investigative demand. S&P Global Market Intelligence colleague Brian Cheung discusses how the CFPB uses the tool and what changes could mean for banks and consumers.

CD specials are back. More banks are offering the promotional rates on CDs, or certificates of deposits, to attract new customers. While that is good news for savers, it means funding costs likely will rise even more for banks. The episode shines a light on recent CD rates offered by banks and features commentary on smart deposit strategies from Bruce Hinkle of StoneCastle Cash Management and KeyCorp CFO Donald Kimble.

De novo banks, or newly formed institutions, were all the rage before the credit crisis but virtually dried up in the years after the Great Recession. The tide is finally beginning to turn, with investors seeking to open banks across the country. Randy Dennis, president of DD&F Consulting, who has helped charter close to 100 banks in his career, discusses the new class of de novos and believes there will be considerably more activity.

More banks are reaching further out the yield curve in their loan portfolios to meet customer demands but, increasingly, advisers believe institutions need to proceed with caution. In the episode, experts from PIMCO, Sandler O'Neill, Chatham Financial and PrecisionLender discuss rate risk and how banks focused on funding will ultimately prove the winners.

Blockchain has been touted as a revolutionary technology that change will financial services forever. But, so far, despite millions invested in research and development by incumbents, fewer use cases have emerged than some had expected. Tom Mason, fintech research analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence, explains how blockchain technology works and discusses its practical applications in financial services, while dispelling the notion that it will displace large institutions.

Deposits have become far more important to banks over the last year, particularly acquirers looking to bolster their funding bases. Given the change, Piper Jaffray analysts Matthew Clark and Will Curtiss say bank investors might find the greatest upside putting their cash behind would-be sellers with strong deposit franchises.

A new accounting provision changing the way U.S. banks reserve for loan losses will reduce the industry's capital by more than 10% and lead to greater volatility in earnings but might leave institutions better prepared for a downturn. Banks won't take the change in stride and are expected to respond by raising loan prices and slowing growth. Two colleagues from S&P Global Market Intelligence – Chris Vanderpool, a co-author of our bank projections, and Kiah Haslett, who reports on accounting issues – discuss the impact on the industry.

Banks across the U.S. continue to shrink their branch networks but one community bank, Citizens Bank of Edmond, has gone a step further and replaced physical locations with innovative strategies, including the creation of a street festival and a coworking space for customers. Jill Castilla, the bank's CEO, discussed the transformation and how it has paid dividends.

While tax reform will offer big boost to bank earnings, some bankers, including the CEOs of JPMorgan and Capital One, expect the windfall of profits to lead to increased competition. Fiercer competition could benefit consumers since they would receive lower prices on loans and higher rates on deposits but it would mean lower margins for banks, whose stocks have rallied on the prospect of higher profits.