Retail & Commercial

A Florida court on Friday sided with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the state over claims that a law firm charged illegal fees to consumers seeking foreclosure relief.

The Fed finalized a rule increasing an asset-size threshold that lets smaller banks finance deals with up to 75% in debt. That benefit, along with an exemption from Basel III capital rules, could prompt some bankers to second-guess short-term growth as they weigh their options.

First Bank in Wilmington, N.C., opened a new branch in Jacksonville, N.C., earlier this week, that was designed to be environmentally friendly.

Wells Fargo will lay off 89 workers at its legal-order processing group in Philadelphia.

Federal regulators are working to streamline call reports for community banks in response to industry complaints that some of the requirements are unnecessary and increasingly burdensome.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the state of Florida were granted a final judgment against the Hoffman Law Group and corporate affiliates accused of using deceptive marketing practices and scamming homeowners into paying illegal advance fees.

Heartland Financial in Dubuque, Iowa, has agreed to buy Premier Valley Bank in Fresno, Calif.

Anthony Weagley is starting to leave his stamp on Malvern Bancorp in Paoli, Pa.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and from our social media platforms.

A joint complaint filed Thursday by federal regulators, if approved by the court, would require Provident Funding Associates to pay $9 million in damages to African-American and Hispanic borrowers for charging higher broker fees on mortgage loans.