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Bank customers who overdraw their accounts now face an average fee of $26.61, which is down from a peak of $33.58 in 2021. Consumer advocates contend that tougher regulations are needed to sustain the momentum, while industry groups argue that bank-led innovations are working.

The regional bank's stock price is down 38% this year, and it recently got downgraded by S&P Global. While there's light at the end of the tunnel — as Key looks to rebound from the negative impact of soaring interest rates — analysts question whether the improvement will take too long to materialize.

The company is paying $75 million in penalties and restitution in connection with SEC allegations that its investment advisory arm overcharged customers it inherited in its Wachovia acquisition in 2008. The settlement is said to show the importance of conducting extensive compliance checks in a rapidly consolidating industry.

A new state regulation brings consumer-style rules to the small business realm, extending California regulators' ability to crack down on nonbank lenders that engage in questionable practices. Observers believe that it could be a model for other states.

The Alabama-based regional bank didn't effectively track whether some loans complied with flood insurance regulations, according to the Fed. Regions said that it had fixed the issue by 2017.

Tighter credit standards and lower demand for business loans could make it harder for the Fed to achieve the soft landing it's seeking. Still, bankers are cautiously optimistic, noting that some businesses are using their savings to invest at a time when borrowing costs are high.

The embattled credit card company, which is bracing for regulatory action, warned Thursday that heavy spending on risk management and compliance will persist. Executives also said that internal and external candidates will be considered for the permanent CEO job.

The credit card company is no stranger to regulatory penalties, but its CEO's sudden departure this week raises the specter of a more painful punishment tied to possible compliance shortcomings. Analysts are hoping to get clarity Thursday on how bad things could get.

JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and TD Auto Finance all see opportunities in providing financing to dealers for inventory, the purchase of competitors and the addition of infrastructure for electric vehicle sales. Two other banks recently said they're exiting the business, which could provide a further opening.

The company is rolling out a special-purpose credit program to help address what it describes as "the biggest barriers to achieving homeownership." Such programs are gaining popularity among banks.

The deal with private equity firm KKR follows an earlier announced sale of $1.3 billion in medical office loans. The Columbus, Georgia-based company has said it's "proactively optimizing the balance sheet" to position itself for long-term growth.

U.S. consumers set a new record during the second quarter, as card debt reached $1.03 trillion. Bankers say a healthy job market has allowed consumers to keep making their monthly payments, but they're also on guard about the impact of the upcoming resumption of federal student loan payments.

Much of the industry is slimming down, with some banks calling it quits on riskier sectors and selling loans they no longer want. The trend is particularly prominent at regional banks that are preparing to comply with new capital rules.

While financial markets wobbled after Fitch Ratings reduced the U.S. government's credit rating, analysts said the action should have little long-term impact, similar to a downgrade by Standard & Poor's in 2011. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon argued that Fitch's action "doesn't really matter that much."

Banks locked in funding by offering more enticing rates on certificates of deposit last quarter, but rebuilding liquidity came at a cost. Competition isn't dying down either, with a couple of credit unions floating 6% CD rates.

The San Francisco company's student loan business suffered from the moratorium on federal borrowers' loans. But executives see a rebound ahead despite high interest rates dampening appetite for refinancing.

Stock markets have shot up as investors grow hopeful that the United States will avoid a recession. But nearly 3 in 4 community bankers are less optimistic that the Fed will achieve its mission of reducing inflation without causing a downturn, a survey from IntraFi found.

Credit metrics are deteriorating as more cardholders fall behind on their payments. But bank CEOs detect few causes for alarm, saying they plan to stay in growth mode since most consumers have stayed current.

Stock prices of banks on this annual list of top performers with at least $50 billion of assets have fallen with the rest of the industry's shares. Executives say their strong fundamentals will win over doubters.

The Phoenix bank was one of the institutions hit hardest in this spring's banking crisis, but deposits rebounded in the second quarter. The bank's earnings results were what "we were all hoping for," one analyst said, sending its stock up 8%.