April 2026

Efforts to revamp New York State environmental laws to lower barriers to building housing more quickly threw the state’s annual budget process into limbo. Negotiations blew past an April 1 budget deliberation deadline, with a proposed overhaul of the State Environmental Quality Review Act emerging as a point of impasse. The outcome could determine whether

Key insight: Though credit quality seems to be holding steady industry-wide, office loan problems remain a sore spot for bank investors. Supporting data: At Washington Trust, total nonperforming assets rose from $12.9 million at the end of last year to $40.4 million on March 31. Expert quote: “Washington Trust has become a show-me stock,” —