EMEA

British consumers, who helped the economy emerge largely unscathed from the Brexit vote, now face their next big health check.

When Diebold wrapped up its $1.8 billion Wincor Nixdorf acquisition last August, there was one asterisk on the deal: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)—which this week threw a flag on Mastercard’s proposed acquisition of VocaLink—wanted to explore whether the ATM network giants’ merger stifled local competition.

Mastercard's $900 million acquisition of British payment company VocaLink is under fire, as the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority contends the deal will give the card network an unfair advantage in ATM-related negotiations.

The commercial-and-industrial loan space is overheated, higher rates could stifle mortgage refinancings, and subprime auto delinquencies are on the rise. Bankers could be fighting these fires and more in the new year.

Volkswagen Financial Services has acquired PayByPhone, a Canadian parking payment provider, for an undisclosed amount.

Carrier billing provider Boku says it has expanded its agreement with Microsoft to provide services for the first time in France to all Windows 10 devices on the Orange France network.

Munich-based digital bank technology provider Fidor and Token Inc. have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop services enabling banks to control the way they share data with third parties.

United Community Banks in Blairsville, Ga., is searching for a new financial chief officer.

Lloyds Banking Group Plc agreed to buy Bank of America Corp.’s MBNA credit-card business in the U.K. for 1.9 billion pounds ($2.4 billion) in cash, marking its first major deal since being rescued by British taxpayers eight years ago.

Ameris Bancorp in Moultrie, Ga., has entered into a consent order with regulators tied to the Bank Secrecy Act.