The Kentucky company says its newly purchased equipment financing unit will strengthen its presence in the market for leasing office furniture, computers and other lower-cost essentials that customers will still buy in an unpredictable economy.

Limiting large-bank access to the system could have an unintended negative impact on smaller banks.

They're wary of deteriorating economic conditions and the bite higher interest rates could take out of profits, according to the latest index of small-bank executives' sentiments by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. The index fell to its lowest level since it was created in 2019.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered Bank of America to repay $100 million to customers who were charged multiple penalty fees when their accounts did not have enough money to cover payments, as well as those who did not receive the credit card rewards they were promised. The bank was also fined for opening a small number of accounts without customers' authorization.

Sonata Bank is piloting a mobile bank account with fringe benefits for employees of franchise restaurants.

Leigh Brady recently took over as chief executive of SECU, the second-largest credit union in the U.S. Don't look for any mergers under her leadership, Brady said, but she will focus on branch expansion and improving SECU's use of technology.

Mass arbitration is a fact of life in modern consumer finance litigation. Those hoping it will go away through court decisions or legislative change are primed to be sorely disappointed.

Adjusted for inflation, consumer spending has largely stalled after surging at the start of the year. Delinquency rates, meanwhile, are ticking up. 

Some of the biggest banks on Wall Street are expected to go to trial in Illinois next month to face allegations they inflated interest rates on bonds to finance public works.

New regulations on small-dollar lending are leaving consumers with few viable options when they need emergency access to cash.

California Bankers Association taps insider as next CEO, Spotify cuts off subscribers who use Apple's high-cost payments, Relay Payments backs auto-racing team and more in this week's banking news roundup.

Deposits of Listerhill and Avadian credit union customers were compromised by fraud conspirators, one instance in a rise of card skimming cases across the country.

The acquisition of Malvern Bancorp, expected to close this month, would hasten First Bank's efforts to further fortify its footprint stretching from Philadelphia to New York City.

Under a written agreement, Quontic pledged not to distribute capital without the permission of its regulators. It's the third enforcement action in five years against the small New York-based bank.

Eligible borrowers would receive a credit for up to $5,000 to pay for expenses like insurance, taxes and closing costs. The program comes months after fair-lending advocacy groups criticized KeyBank for its low rate of lending to Black borrowers.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wants to wipe out $9 billion a year in consumer costs by cutting credit card late fees to just $8. But consumer complaints about late fees remain low, and experts say that's because many first-time late fees are forgiven.