U.S. regional banks have a tougher road to growing profits in 2024 as they face pressure to pay more to depositors versus larger peers while demand from borrowers stays subdued. With the outlook for interest rates more uncertain, regional lenders' earnings will also be restrained because they are tied into securities holdings that are losing money on paper instead of making loans or investing in higher-yielding assets, said analysts. "It's going to be harder," said Richard Ramsden, a banking analyst at Goldman Sachs.