The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday, Oct. 3, edition that Laurentian Bank of Canada delivered a big disappointment to investors Monday, at a time when sentiment toward the lender is already frayed. The Globe's David Berman writes that Laurentian is struggling with issues that appear to be of its own making. The latest disappointment concerns the sudden departure on Sunday of the bank's chief executive officer, Rania Llewellyn, after three years on the job. Investors did not take the leadership setback well, knocking the stock back on Monday by $1.79 to close in Toronto at $28.48. Laurentian Bank stock is down about 40 per cent from its intraday high on July 12, when investors were initially ecstatic about the bank's potential value as a takeover target. Mr. Berman says if you look around at the banking sector you will see a pile of bad news weighing on lenders that are many times the size of Laurentian Bank, suggesting the bank's troubles may be part of a broader maelstrom. Mr. Berman says if Laurentian Bank's challenges are reflected in its stock, then the small lender is in good company. It is tracking most other banks this year, as investors turn fearful of economic clouds on the horizon.