Retail & Commercial

Fearless forecasts from BankThink's stable of industry veterans, experts and critics.

Global Payments and Heartland Payment Systems have a chance to create an international powerhouse focused on small to medium sized business, restaurant and education payments, if they can meld their technology post-acquisition and retain Heartland's management.

The agency released a plan Tuesday that would provide incentives for owners of manufactured housing communities to reform their practices if they want to tap financing by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The $467 million-asset mutual thrift appointed Patricia Stetler to the role this week.

The $5.6 billion-asset multibank holding company hired Fontaine to replace Ed Hooks, who has been its counsel since 1992 and who will retire at the end of the year.

Customers Bancorp in Wyomissing, Pa., has agreed to buy the disbursements business of Higher One Holdings in New Haven, Conn.

Fannie Mae is offering yet another carrot to lenders that have lobbied extensively for relief from loan repurchases.

An interbank loan market that was created for small and regional banks has begun operations, recording $15 million in transactions on its first day.

A startup backed by philanthropist Pierre Omidyar has emerged from stealth mode with technology that promises to provide consistent value and a degree of privacy to electronic money.

A startup backed by philanthropist Pierre Omidyar has emerged from stealth mode with technology that promises to provide consistent value and a degree of privacy to electronic money.