Retail & Commercial

The United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will conduct an in-depth review of debt collection practices of payday lenders when it takes on responsibilities for regulating consumer credit markets on April 1.

Cardtronics (CATM) in Houston announced Thursday a new licensing agreement with BBVA Compass that would give the bank branding rights to more than 300 automated teller machines in H-E-B grocery stores throughout Texas.

First Bank (FRBA) in Hamilton, N.J., has hired a former American Express manager as chief operating officer.

Heritage Oaks (HEOP) in Paso Robles, Calif., has hired a new chief financial officer.

Astoria Financial (AF) in Lake Success, N.Y., is planning to open its first full-service branch in Manhattan.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., Japan's biggest bank, raised a record $4 billion selling bonds to help fund its goal of becoming a top 10 U.S. lender.

First Citizens Banc (FCZA) in Sandusky, Ohio, will close three branches to cut costs.

Total foreclosure filings were reported on 112,498 U.S. properties in February, a 10 percent drop from January and down 27 percent from February 2013, according to RealtyTrac, an Irvine, Calif., data firm. The total is the lowest monthly figure since December 2006.

Community banks and credit unions are often viewed as being behind the curve in technology, but these tech efforts—either in place or in development—show that some smaller institutions can be every bit as cutting edge as the big guys.

Becoming a licensed money transmitter throughout the U.S. is a time intensive and costly process many Bitcoin businesses are struggling with. But the costs of compliance could be cut substantially with the proactive step of hiring in-house compliance officers.