Levered to the Economy, Regional Bank ETFs Are About to Explode March 11, 2021 Regional banks that could be one of the prime beneficiaries of a global economic recovery. ETFs like the One of the reasons is regional banks’ propensity to move with the ebbs and flows of the economy. When the economy is thriving, regional banks can trend higher and vice versa. “The regional banks are closer to Main Street. You could argue that they have their thumb on the pulse of the real economy more than the ivory tower types on Wall Street,” said Donald Calcagni, chief investment officer with Mercer Advisors.