Polo Rocha is a Mexico-based freelance reporter who worked at American Banker from 2021 to early 2025, covering consumer finance and national banking trends. He previously covered the Federal Reserve at S&P Global Market Intelligence and state politics at WisPolitics.com. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has a master's in finance degree from Johns Hopkins University.
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Rather than trying to reach the masses, which proved to be expensive, Goldman is focusing on marketing its online banking platform to its existing pool of wealth management clients. The investment bank has learned that it's "better to play to our strengths," CEO David Solomon said Tuesday.
By Polo RochaOctober 18 -
The San Francisco bank tallied $2.2 billion in net operating losses, higher than in any quarter since late 2017. The charges offset what otherwise would have been a strong third-quarter performance.
By Polo RochaOctober 14 -
The average interest rates that banks pay to commercial clients jumped at the end of the summer, according to survey data. Industry executives are likely to face questions about the outlook for 2023 during upcoming earnings calls.
By Polo RochaOctober 13 -
The settlement with an insurer over Countrywide's mortgage-backed securities closes another chapter on what quickly proved to be an ill-advised acquisition for Bank of America. A trial on the case had kicked off last month.
By Polo RochaOctober 7 -
Amid fears of a recession, industry observers will be on the lookout for signs of distress in credit cards and auto loans. One analyst said "the positive trends we've been seeing are starting to erode, and the pressure is going to start building."
October 6 -
Financial institutions of all sizes — from JPMorgan Chase to SouthState to Fairwinds Credit Union — have reopened many branches, rolled out mobile banking units as well as reemployed pandemic-era digital and loan-forgiveness strategies in parts of Florida and South Carolina devastated by the powerful hurricane.
October 3 -
TD Bank, the U.S. unit of the Canadian bank, has hired Christopher Fred as its new head of U.S. credit cards and unsecured lending. The bank's retail partners include Target and Nordstrom.
By Polo RochaOctober 3 -
A new report from American Banker's parent company finds that traditional banks are vulnerable to competition from online banks and fintechs such as PayPal and Square. It recommends that banks build deeper relationships with small-business owners by adding more products to their traditional suite of offerings.
By Polo RochaOctober 2 -
The report, which examined trends between 2010 and 2021, found that the country's biggest banks only opened 638 branches in low-to-moderate-income communities made up primarily of people of color. That accounts for just 15% of their total branch openings.
By Polo RochaSeptember 29 -
The online lender approved Black applicants at lower rates than non-Hispanic whites, according to a law firm that monitors its artificial intelligence models. Upstart said it's an industry leader in fair lending but acknowledged room for improvement, calling disparities "an industry-wide challenge."
By Polo RochaSeptember 26 -
The Cincinnati bank's new division will lend to nonbanks that make or bundle together residential mortgage loans, whose businesses have slowed as higher interest rates lower appetite for refinancing. The warehouse sector has seen "fierce competition" among banks lately, one analyst wrote.
By Polo RochaSeptember 20 -
Adrienne Harris, superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services, previewed the agency's upcoming climate guidance in an interview with American Banker. Banks "cannot sacrifice" their fair lending and equity obligations "in order to mitigate climate risk," she said.
By Polo RochaSeptember 19 -
A federal judge found last year that a credit reporting dispute did not have to be investigated because the consumer's complaint was frivolous. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission argue that the decision undermines a key purpose of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
By Polo RochaSeptember 15 -
Sarver, who owns the NBA's Phoenix Suns and the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, is facing a one-year suspension and a $10 million fine after an investigation found evidence of workplace misconduct. The Arizona bank where Sarver previously served as chairman and CEO is also discussed in an investigative report released Tuesday.
By Polo RochaSeptember 13 -
The San Francisco bank's employee retirement plan allegedly overpaid for preferred stock that was eventually deposited into employees' retirement accounts. The bank said that it "strongly disagrees" with the Department of Labor's allegations, but it agreed to the payment in order to resolve the matter.
By Polo RochaSeptember 12 -
The Mortgage Bankers Association forecast comes as bankers continue keeping an eye on their commercial real estate portfolios, including office buildings. The MBA also noted that many companies have long-term leases on their offices, likely making the hit more gradual.
By Polo RochaSeptember 11 -
Lenders are extending credit to corporate suppliers, helping them get paid earlier and keeping goods flowing. But the growth in the sector carries certain risks, too.
By Polo RochaSeptember 8 -
Lawmakers in the nation's most populous state failed to pass a measure, opposed by industry groups, that would have required larger companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions. Publicly traded companies may soon face similar requirements at the federal level.
By Polo RochaSeptember 6 -
Higher mortgage rates have led to a sharp slowdown in cash-out refinances. Second mortgages were up nearly 50% in the first five months of the year as homeowners looked for new ways to borrow against their equity.
By Polo RochaSeptember 5 -
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and his New York counterpart, Letitia James, urged the CEOs of Visa, Mastercard and American Express to create a merchant category code for guns and ammunition stores. They argued that "all options must be on the table to remedy" the "scourge of gun violence" in the United States.
By Polo RochaSeptember 2




















