CEO Roundtable: Colorado banking environment healthy as rates rise

BOULDER — Local bankers are mostly smiling when they look at their institutions’ balance sheets, even as interest rates finally begin ticking up after a prolonged period of historically low rates. 

In some instances, rising rates are “driving competitive pressures” between banks as customers may begin to comparison shop, MidFirst Bank vice president Susan Moratelli said Tuesday during BizWest’s virtual CEO Roundtable for the banking industry. 

But despite the Federal Reserve not-so-subtly hinting at multiple rate hikes, “it’s still a great time to borrow,” she said.

Borrowers are beginning to request to lock in fixed rates for as long a period as they…