Finance

Nonbanks are originating more commercial mortgages on fixer-uppers in response to a sharp drop in the cost of funding in the securitization market. These deals are said to be "vastly different" than other CRE instruments that sustained big losses in the crisis — so far.

Independent Bank Group said the firms had become shareholders after it bought Carlile Bancshares last year.

The company will take a nearly $10 million hit after setting aside funds to cover a case of potential borrower fraud.

Readers opine on the prospect of regulatory relief, weigh in on the need for regulators to become more tech savvy, react to HSBC hopping back into U.S. mortgage lending and more.

First the House and now the Senate have included provisions in their regulatory relief bills that bankers say would go a long way toward clearing up confusion over how to treat high-volatility commercial real estate loans.

Legacy financial firms like the big credit bureau are seeking out financial technology to diversify themselves, bring new products to market faster and meet the needs of global customers.

Park National, which came to regret its acquisition of a Florida bank just before the financial crisis, took more than a year to vet NewDominion before making an offer.

Online banks and some credit unions are responding to Fed rate hikes by aggressively raising deposit rates on CDs, savings accounts and money market products, while the nation's biggest banks are largely standing pat — for now.

Ken Rees at Elevate Credit calls payday lending "the roach motel of financial products" and says his alternative has helped subprime borrowers get back on their feet.

The company's deal for Coastway Bancorp in Rhode Island makes sense since both institutions are former credit unions.

With rate hikes aplenty expected this year, Wells Fargo and Bank of America are said to be subdividing key markets to target deposit pricing in the future and minimize costs. These are among several innovative steps large banks are taking to prepare for more competition for deposits.

Organizers in Winston-Salem are planning to raise at least $25 million to form Community Bank of the Carolinas.

A mortgage program created by a 2015 partnership between the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago and Ginnie Mae has securitized over $1 billion in government-backed mortgages, the partnership announced.

China’s Ant Financial, which already has a large stake in India’s Paytm and operates its own Alipay wallet in China, is taking a 45% stake in Pakistan’s Telenor Microfinance Bank (TMB).

Senior leaders at the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said they want examiners to be more understanding of the budding partnerships forming between banks and fintech firms.

To detect and combat transaction laundering — the practice of hiding illegal activity behind a business that appears legitimate — American Express' investment group took a minority equity stake in EverCompliant.

The company has agreed to buy United Community Bancorp. With the $114 million deal it would add five branches in the Cincinnati area.

Backbone Hosting Solutions Inc., a cryptocurrency mining company, said it plans to invest C$250 million ($193 million) in computing centers in Sherbrooke, Canada.

Limited organic growth opportunities and rising premiums for bigger deals are fueling more sales of banks with $1 billion to $10 billion in assets.

The company has agreed to pay $89 million for Premier Commercial Bancorp. The acquisition would significantly increase its branch presence and lending in the Portland area.