Until recently, the card resided in the wallet of Jerome Svigals, one of the engineers who invented it when he worked at IBM in the 1960s.

The economy may be improving, but banks appear unlikely to regain the creditworthiness they enjoyed before the financial crisis any time soon.

JPMorgan Chase (JPM) has named a new chief executive of mortgage banking as part of a broader plan to better align mortgage lending with its other consumer and retail initiatives.

Bank of America Corp., the best performer in the Dow Jones Industrial Average for 2012, has more than doubled since the start of the year as the company rebuilds capital and investor confidence.

Its purpose was to study what consumers know about dispute resolution clauses. This is particularly important because most checking accountholders are covered by these clauses and may not be aware of them.

Consumers remain cautious about overextending themselves and card issuers are still wary of offering credit to those less likely to repay.

Michael Tierney's challenge next year at Flagstar Bancorp is twofold: find ways to go on the offensive while continuing to resolve lingering issues at the Michigan company.

The credit might have been "gold-gilded," but it did not make sense, the first test that a credit must pass.

Dan Bass has left FBR Capital Markets to establish an investment banking platform at Performance Trust Capital Partners.

Oneida Financial in New York is expanding its insurance business with its purchase of McMahon, Fenaroli and White, which operates Schenectady Insuring Agency in Schenectady.

Payments upstarts like Dwolla and Chirpify are aiming to capitalize on social media's popularity. But the question remains whether consumers will flock to a system that lets the world know what they're buying.

Every banker is under scrutiny, but last year we pegged 10 executives as potential news makers for 2012. Some made big headlines; others seemed to get through the year without making much noise. Here is a recap.

S&T Bancorp in Indiana, Pa., has named two banking veterans to leadership roles.

The Bancorp in Wilmington, Del., plans to raise $50 million through a common stock offering.

Fulton Financial has agreed to sell a payments business to Canadian group.

A yearlong FDIC research project charts the impact of consolidation and other pressures on small banks, but suggests continued viability for the sector.

Institution for Savings in Newburyport opened a branch in a Topsfield, Mass., high school after a large bank left and explains why its move is good business.

Although this initial phase of the program may seem beneficial as it seeks to keep European competitors honest, enforced convergence is a double-edged sword that raises worrisome issues for our country.

Hedge funds and private-equity firms are betting on delinquent home loans being sold by the FHA as the government agency accelerates debt sales to avert a bailout and stem foreclosures.

In its first-year progress report on community banks, the FDIC details how it is responding to specific complaints outlined by institutions at roundtables earlier this year.