Retail & Commercial

Purchases by adults between the ages of 25 and 40 have risen 50% over 2019, and the same group accounts for 75% of sign-ups for American Express’s pricier new cards.

Business lines south of the border, led by a diversified commercial banking unit, contributed more than 40% of total earnings at Bank of Montreal over the past 12 months. Company executives now see an opportunity in selling wealth management services to commercial clients.

The deal for Summit Financial furthers First Financial’s strategy of acquiring national niche business lines.

Business and regulatory pressures were already weighing on aging executives before the onset of the pandemic led many to delay retirement plans. Now as the crisis eases, an increasing number are finally stepping down.

Rohit Chopra, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, pledged to make it easier for state attorneys general to draw on the Consumer Financial Protection Act in filing lawsuits against corporate wrongdoers.

CEO Jane Fraser said the bank isn’t a fan of the idea of simply asking clients to dispose of any so-called brown assets, which would just shift the problem to a new owner.

Bankers say the Biden administration’s call for regulatory greater scrutiny of mergers and acquisitions is causing holdups and could slow dealmaking activity in 2022.

The Georgia bank estimates that it will save $12 million annually by shutting down 40 branches.

U.K. authorities expect to recover as much as 2 billion pounds ($2.7 billion) of fraudulent COVID loans over the next year, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said on Tuesday.

By acquiring First Sound Bank in Seattle, the fintech would control the strategic direction of the combined company and won't have to share revenue, CEO Luvleen Sidhu says.