Retail & Commercial

Tim Pawlenty is hardly the first prominent politician to turn into a bank lobbyist. Indeed, there's a long line of them.

Richard Cordray, the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director, suggested that lenders should not be overly concerned about potential legal liability for making so-called "qualified mortgages."

Oak Bank of Chicago plans to use the Premier core processing platform, as well as Fiserv products for mobile banking, branch capture and merchant source capture.

Several merchant groups are asking members of Congress to hear their opposition to the swipe-fee settlement announced in July.

Industry observers have commended the Walla Walla, Wash., company for righting the ship after it was hammered by exposure to bad construction loans. But now investors are wondering how it will grow in a weak economy.

CEO John Stumpf offered candid views on monetary policy, the housing crisis, capital rules and even consumer protection during a panel discussion late Wednesday.

Heidi Miller, the former president of JPMorgan Chase's international businesses, says that megabanks have to do a better job of defending themselves — and acknowledges that some banks run the risk of becoming too big.

Several merchant groups are asking members of Congress to hear their opposition to the swipe-fee settlement announced in July.

FirstBank Holding in Lakewood, Colo., will close 15 branches in its home state, reflecting an increase in its customers' reliance on electronic banking.

Ambassador, a broker-dealer and deal advisor, announced Thursday that it would acquire the operations of Capital Insight Partners. Jacob Eisen and Tad Gage, the co-founders of Capital Insight, are set to become managing directors of Ambassador.