Western Alliance soars 12% to lead rally in regional bank stocks after the lender says deposits increased by more than $2 billion

• Western Alliance shares surged Wednesday after telling investors that deposits continue to stabilize.
• Deposit growth exceeded $2 billion on a quarter-to-date basis as of May 12, the lender said.

Western Alliance stock jumped Wednesday on fresh signs that deposits are stabilizing after Silicon Valley Bank's collapse two months ago, igniting a rally in other regional lenders.

Western Alliance shares zoomed up 12% to $35.45, the highest since May 2 when they traded above $36 each. The surge was set off after the Phoenix-based lender, in an investor update late Tuesday, said deposit growth exceeded $2 billion on a quarter-to-date basis as of May 12.

Western Alliance said deposit balances had stabilized by March 20 and "resumed growth trajectory." The bank previously said deposits grew by $1.8 billion from the end of the first quarter to $49.4 billion as of May 9.

Riding alongside Western Alliance was PacWest, with its stock up 12%. Last week, the bank said deposit outflows resumed in the first week of May. Zions Bancorp tacked on 2.9% early Wednesday, and the SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE) rose 2.3%.

Western Alliance and other small to mid-sized lenders came under deposit scrutiny after Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank collapsed in March and were seized by federal regulators to head off a potentially wider run on bank deposits. Customers fled SVB, worried about the safety of their money after a fire sale of SVB's value-hit bond portfolio resulted in huge losses.

Western Alliance shares have suffered a loss of more than 40% during 2023.

Weekly deposit flows at banks have been stabilizing, Fitch Ratings said earlier this month while also saying near-term deposit challenges are a risk to profitability at regional and community banks.