** Auto lender Ally Financial's ALLY.N shares jump 6.6% to $40.99 premarket

** ALLY beats Wall Street expectations for Q3 profit as provision for credit losses shrank by $230 million from a year earlier

** "Importantly credit is improving at an accelerating pace," says Truist analyst Brian Foran

** Results come as a rout in U.S. regional banking shares on Thursday amid heightened concerns about credit quality

** 12 of 20 brokerages rate the stock "buy" or higher and 8 "hold"; median PT $45 - data compiled by LSEG

** As of last close, ALLY stock up 6.8% YTD

(Reporting by Arasu Kannagi Basil in Bengaluru)

((ArasuKannagi.Basil@thomsonreuters.com;))