Trading was halted for Western Alliance Bancorporation on the NYSE, as concerns over loans to non-bank financial players surfaced. The bank reported Q3 earnings and set aside $30 million for possible losses on a $98 million loan to the Cantor Group, which is under scrutiny for alleged fraud related to collateral.

Shares of Western Alliance rose almost 2% after reassuring analysts that the loan issue was isolated. Regional banks, including Zions, saw a reprieve this week as results showed no new loan meltdowns. Both banks reported rising net interest income and improved credit quality metrics.

Western Alliance reviewed its note finance portfolio after the Cantor Group episode. No irregularities were found in loans greater than $10 million. The bank is also exposed to the bankruptcy of auto parts maker First Brands, but remains current on a loan facility managed by Jefferies.

Investors remain cautious after last week’s selloff in regionals. Any signs of further losses will trigger more selling pressure. Analyst Timur Braziler cut his recommendation on Western Alliance to “sell,” citing lasting market impact from recent events. Sustainable outperformance in the regional bank sector may be delayed.

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– U.S. stocks closed higher on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hitting record highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 238 points, while the S&P 500 gained 0.7% and the Nasdaq added 0.9%.

– Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on Twitter that the electric car company will start accepting Bitcoin as payment. The news caused Bitcoin to surge to a new record high above $56,000.

– Amazon is reportedly in talks to acquire podcasting company Wondery for over $300 million. The deal would give Amazon a larger presence in the podcasting space, which has seen increased popularity in recent years.: Alleged loan fraud is frustrating but isolated