Bank technology

Concerned about rapidly growing fraud in the automated clearing house system, bankers and network operators are stepping up their efforts to fight back against criminals.

The Canadian processor LML Payment Systems Inc. has settled its patent-infringement lawsuit against three U.S. financial companies.

CheckFree Corp. shares spiked Tuesday after SunTrust Robinson Humphrey upgraded the Atlanta online bill payment service provider's stock to "buy," from "neutral," on optimism about future margins.

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Hoping to reverse a long slump in revenue, banking companies are rolling out a variety of new or upgraded online cash management systems.

The table lists daily composite stock prices at 4 PM (unless otherwise noted) as measured by market capitalization.

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CompuCredit Corp. is using specialized project management and simulation software to accelerate the upgrade of a bill payment Web site for one of its card products.

Fidelity National Information Services Inc. has formed a joint venture that it says will make it the largest third-party transaction processor in Brazil.

Many hospitals, which still receive private health insurance payments largely by paper checks, say they could save money and time by shifting to electronic payments, according to a survey released by PNC Financial Services Group Inc.

The surcharge-free automated teller machine network Co-op Network said Monday that it had agreed to acquire Encore Electronic Services Cooperative Inc., which offers payment processing services to credit unions.

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HSBC Holdings PLC, aiming to get a bigger piece of the North American cash management market, has developed an international payment service for corporate transactions.

The table lists daily composite stock prices at 4 PM (unless otherwise noted) as measured by market capitalization.

Online Resources Corp. is working to enhance its online bill payment system and use the technology driving it to improve its offerings in areas like customer retention and collections.

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Nonbanking companies could soon become full members of the Swift financial messaging network, no longer reliant on financial institutions to sponsor them, an executive of the organization said this week.