Equity growth slowed at US banks in 2020

US banks of all sizes saw their equity grow at a slower rate in 2020 than the year prior, regulatory filings show, though assets increased at the fastest pace for five years.

Over the 12 months to end-December 2020, the equity capital of banks over $10 billion in size increased just shy of 7%, down from 10% the year prior. At those $3–10 billion in size, equity increased at a rate of 8% compared with 12% the year prior. Banks in the $1–3 billion category saw equity increase nearly 9% from 13%