Banking

The banking industry's pace of expansion accelerated in March after bankers reported more activity in auto lending and mortgages.

Instead of downsizing, banks should reposition big branch networks to protect their ground from nonbanks and tech companies trying to infiltrate the financial services space.

Flagstar Bancorp (FBC) in Troy, Mich., will pay $110 million to settle allegations that it misrepresented the quality of more than $1 billion of private label mortgage-backed securities it sold to investors.

Two deals lifted First Community Bancshares in Bluefield, Va., in the first quarter.

RentPaidOnline (RPO), an online payment service for property managers, and mobile commerce provider Spindle are partnering to develop a mobile version of RPO’s portal.

When the latest "As Seen on TV" must-have gadget appears on-screen, consumers may someday be able to make the first of their payments by pressing a few buttons on their remote control. It may seem far-fetched, but it's a future that Ingenico chairman and CEO Philippe Lazare says is well within reach.

Flash Valet, which uses mobile technology to facilitate payments for valet service providers, is creating a companion mobile app for consumers.

The $1.6 billion-asset company said Thursday that Vincent Tozzi will also resign on May 31 as treasurer to pursue another opportunity.

The White House says the nation needs new laws to reinforce its cyber defenses but that the push should not come at the cost of privacy.

New York investment bank MLV, expecting lots of bank M&A activity in the Southeast and Southwest, has hired an expert on those regions, David Bishop from Stifel Nicolaus, to start a research unit.

Sb1 Federal Credit Union in Philadelphia has hired Robert Werner, a former chief operating officer of Two River Community Bank, as its president and CEO.

If they get on their high horse, bankers risk coming off as disingenuous. Concentrate instead on developing products that will help consumers meet a specific financial goal.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are helping to provide additional relief to Hurricane Sandy victims who received a temporary reprieve from paying their mortgage after the storm but are still struggling financially.

The San Francisco company's former CEO Dick Kovacevich served as stand-in at the Wells Fargo Championship pro-am. Why? One reason is that current CEO John Stumpf doesn't play golf.

Customer satisfaction with BMO Harris fell after it bought Marshall & Ilsley thanks to a customer-service glitch and other issues, showing how hard it is to integrate acquisitions.

The Federal Reserve Board has hit a Wisconsin bank with an enforcement action, while lifting actions against two others.

Regulators are intent on reducing incentives in CEO pay. Shareholders fear they'll go too far. Susan O'Donnell of Pearl Meyer & Partners discusses where the debate is headed.

U.S. payday lenders are lashing out at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in the wake of a report that concluded the industry traps consumers in a cycle of debt.

BitPremier plans to broker luxury items like condos, jewelry and designer watches exclusively via the digital currency bitcoin. Behind the venture is SecondMarket CEO Barry Silbert.

American Express and Wal-Mart launched the Bluebird card last October. By January, it had over 575,000 account holders and $275 million in funds loaded onto the cards. Eighty-five percent of Bluebird customers are new to Amex, and 45% under 35.