Loan growth at community banks remains mostly lackluster.

• Position: MARKETING NEWS - Brief article

LOAN VOLUME AT COMMUNITY BANKS (assets of under $10 billion) shrank nearly 1 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the previous quarter, SNL Financial reports. Volume was also down slightly from the same quarter a year ago, about 0.2 percent.

The overall outlook this year for loans is for modest, but not robust growth, SNL says.

One bright spot for community banks with more than $ 1 billion in assets is multifamily lending, particularly when compared with a year earlier. SNL says that competition for desirable customers remains intense with some prospects seeking discounted pricing.

Another bright spot for community banks is ongoing customer frustration with...