Retail & Commercial

Nationwide the number of bank branches fell by about 1.7% last year. But some cities and states were hit harder than others, according to data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and research firm BankRegData.

The San Francisco bank will lend to more borrowers with weaker credit histories, an official at the bank said. Bank of the West, a BNP Paribas subsidiary, has proven to be more aggressive than U.S. peers in the past.

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National Commerce in Birmingham, Ala., is looking to raise $50 million through an initial public offering.

Even is building a mobile money-management service for baristas, Lyft drivers, freelancers and others with unpredictable incomes. For $5 a week, users can draw advances on paychecks during rough patches.

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week.

Government investigations of auto lending are beginning to pile up, and they are weighing on investors' perceptions of the fast-growing industry.

Huntington Bancshares in Columbus, Ohio, has sold an office in the city to Telhio Credit Union for $2.5 million.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. reached a preliminary settlement to pay $500 million to resolve a lawsuit over $17.6 billion of faulty mortgage-backed securities issued by Bear Stearns.

A San Diego-based debt collector has agreed to pay $675,000 in civil penalties and give up $18 million won in court fights against 4,500 consumers, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Friday.