Where cracks in the banking sector may appear without more M&A
Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., February 7, 2024.Brendan Mcdermid | ReutersThe forces that consumed three regional lenders in March 2023 have left hundreds of smaller banks wounded, as merger activity — a key potential lifeline — has slowed to a trickle.As the memory of last year's regional banking crisis begins to fade, it's easy to believe the industry is in the clear. But the high interest rates that caused the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and its peers in 2023…