Banking

Recent calls in Congress to take a closer look at the quasi-governmental Farm Credit System and its regulator have pleased bankers, who want to bring attention to their complaints of unfair competition.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Monday that it is accepting consumer complaints on prepaid cards and other non-bank products such as credit repair services and pawnshop loans.

Peoples Bancorp (PEBK) in Newton, N.C., reported higher earnings in the second quarter than a year earlier thanks to a stronger loan portfolio.

SunTrust Banks is planning to sell $2.1 billion in government-guaranteed, performing residential mortgages this quarter, after selling $325 million last quarter, to meet proposed Basel III regulatory liquidity coverage ratios.

Hampton Roads Bankshares has hired four lenders from Northwest Savings Bank in Baltimore to run its new commercial lending office there.

A U.S. district court on Monday halted a Buffalo, N.Y.-based collection agency from doing business, froze the operation's assets and appointed a temporary receiver to take over the defendants' business pending trial.

Monitise, an e-commerce firm in London, said on Monday that it has expanded its mobile banking partnership with IBM. The announcement comes less than a week after IBM signed a partnership with Apple to create business apps for iOS devices.

Scivantage is launching new software called sqope that helps investors track the performance of their investments.

Federal regulators hope hackers can help put a stop to automated telemarketing calls such as the well known "Rachel from Cardholder Services."

SunTrust Banks (STI) said second-quarter profit rose on higher revenue from investment banking and the sale of an asset-management unit.

BB&T (BBT) in Winston-Salem, N.C., reported a decline in quarterly earnings because of lower mortgage activity and a narrower net interest margin.

Supporters of Bitcoin and other digital currencies have created a trade association called the Chamber of Digital Commerce to make their voices heard in Washington.

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The appeals process initiated by retailers just a few days after a district court approved a $5.7 billion settlement in the years-long swipe-fee case will proceed.

Regulators on Friday closed Eastside Commercial Bank in Conyers, Ga., the 13th institution to fail this year.

Mackinac Financial (MFNC) in Manistique, Mich., has agreed to buy Peninsula Financial in Ishpeming, Mich.

NewBridge Bancorp (NBBC) in Greensboro, N.C., has hired six commercial bankers to run its new middle-market banking group.

Dell Inc. will accept bitcoins for computers, seeking to expand its payment options, Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell said in a tweet.

The McLean, Va., company is once again making more credit available to its existing credit card customers. New regulations had forced changes to the process of approving line hikes.

In The Members Group's innovation lab, engineers have been tinkering with an app that lets Glass users tap to make a payment.