Fears that lower Federal Housing Administration premiums will negatively affect private mortgage insurance firms are overblown. If anything, the plan should be a modest positive for the overall housing market.

JPMorgan Chase has named Jennifer Piepszak as the chief executive of its business-banking division that focuses on firms with revenue of $20 million and below.

American Capital Partners has recruited two Raymond James analysts to launch a research unit focused on small and mid-cap banks in the New York area.

Small-business lending approval rates at big banks and institutional lenders reached post-recession highs in December, while small banks and alternative lenders have seen fewer completed deals, according to Biz2Credit data.

A state ethics commission has hired two collection agencies to pursue nearly a half million dollars in late fees resulting from elected and appointed officials missing or ignoring deadlines for submitting financial disclosure forms.

The Supreme Court gave homeowners more ability to cancel their mortgages if lenders don't provide the required disclosures, in a setback for the banking industry.

The gap between high income and middle- and lower-income families' wealth is growing as the economy recovers from the economic downturn, according to a study.

United Kingdom-based collection agency 1st Credit Ltd. could be sold by private equity firm Bridgepoint, according to a recent report.

Wintrust Financial in Chicago has formed a division to focus on the city's start-up community.

First Premier Bank, a subprime credit card issuer, has given up a court fight aimed at keeping information about its cards off a comparison-shopping website.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is launching a toolkit on Tuesday that will help consumers shop for a mortgage by finding the best rates in their area based on data the agency gathers from lenders.

Freddie Mac in the next month plans to approve three more lenders, including one bank, to make multifamily loans between $1 million and $5 million for GSE purchase and securitization, according to an official. Banks were not initially courted.

Former Rep. Bill Owens has been named a director of Arrow Financial in Glen Falls, N.Y.

Chesapeake Bancorp in Chestertown, Md., has hired Al Wilson as its president and chief executive. Wilson resigned from AmeriServ Financial last month as its chief executive.

Northwest Bancshares in Warren, Pa., has bought B.J. Petruso Agency in Meadville, Pa.

Numerous banks are expected to say they trimmed expenses yet again when they report fourth-quarter results in the coming weeks. But that trend may ebb soon as many executives are forced to spend on technology and to expand their businesses.

JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America plan to start offering FICO scores they have on customers to them for free, according to a statement released Monday by the White House.

Avenue Financial Holdings in Nashville, Tenn., is looking to raise $30 million through an initial public offering.

Ted Peters likes to build things and he does not like retirement. The veteran banker will soon solicit outside investors for a fund that he hopes will amass $100 million to pump into promising community banks.

The mobile platform most bankers had all but given up on is showing signs of life. But the changes seem unlikely to persuade financial institutions, many of which have quietly discontinued or abandoned their native BlackBerry apps.