Retail & Commercial

Joe Smith, the monitor of the $25 billion mortgage settlement, talks about whether the five largest servicers will be ready when they report on their progress next week.

Both TD Bank (TD) and Scotiabank (BNS) may be among more than 15 bidders for the non-U.S. operations of Ally Financial, Reuters reported late Tuesday.

Barclaycard US announced Wednesday the appointment of a new chief financial officer and a new chief marketing officer.

California Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed three new laws that are part of the Homeowner Bill of Rights aimed at increasing prosecutions for mortgage-related crimes.

An increase in capital requirements may reduce earnings, minimize returns and contribute to a stagnant environment where loan production is at a minimum and bank acquisitions are very few.

Aspiring consolidators are weighing the advantages of attracting lending teams instead of making outright acquisitions.

Bank of America (BAC) has hired more than 130 bankers in Florida as part of a lager plan to bulk up its services for small-business owners.

Fidelity Bancorp, Western Liberty and Savannah Bancorp artfully structured deals to sell themselves, and are rushing to complete them, in case Congress raises capital gains taxes next year.

The Federal Reserve's latest mortgage bond purchases so far are helping profit margins at lenders, including Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase, more than homebuyers and property owners looking to refinance.

Columbia Banking System has agreed to buy West Coast Bancorp. The acquisition, valued at about $506 million, will create a community bank in the Pacific Northwest with more than $7 billion in assets.