Banking

Bank Mutual (BKMU) in Milwaukee reported an increase in fourth-quarter earnings because of loan sales and service fees.

The Bureau's rules add incrementally to a previous mandate in the mortgage servicing settlement, but leave other regulators to sort out the controversy over the insurance for troubled homeowners.

National Mortgage Insurance Co., a new company based in Emeryville, Calif., announced Thursday that Fannie and Freddie have granted it approval as an eligible mortgage insurer.

One week after American Express Co. announced that its fourth-quarter earnings fell sharply from a year earlier, the company filled in more details Thursday.

American Express, which announced 5,400 layoffs last week, said that earnings declined in the fourth quarter in all but one of its business segments.

A rise in fees and loans propelled People's United Financial in the fourth quarter. The $30.3 billion-asset company said Thursday that earnings rose 44% from a year earlier, to $61.2 million.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's new mortgage servicing rules may force some servicers to exit the business altogether or simply outsource servicing of defaulted loans to third-parties, experts said Thursday.

Capital One blames lower revenue, higher costs and margin trends for earnings that fell short of analysts' expectations in the fourth quarter.

American Express Co., the lender that plans to cut 5,400 jobs this year, said profit at its U.S. card business declined 42 percent in the fourth quarter as the firm set aside more money to cover soured loans.

Tighter margins. Anxious commercial customers. Fresh memories of bad risks taken. These are a few of the limitations acting on Fifth Third, BB&T, PNC and other regional banks as they try to improve on progress made last year.

A group's plan to open a de novo bank in southeastern Pennsylvania could open the door for more bank charters.

Southcoast Financial Corp. (SOCB) in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., swung to a profit in the fourth quarter thanks to improvements to its loan portfolio and a lower cost of funds.

DDoS mitigation services provider Prolexic provides numbers around the cyberattacks banks experienced in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Piggyback litigation often follows regulatory actions, and the laws under the CFPB's jurisdiction all but invite follow-on private lawsuits. A huge number of companies may be exposed.

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is all about money — but increasingly, the question is whether it's about protecting money or making money.

Like SmartyPig this week, ImpulseSave has a savings tool that consumers can use without leaving their online shopping site.

A week after it announced involvement in the first contactless payment program in Germany, French terminal maker Ingenico SA says it plans to do the same thing in Portugal.

Citigroup's disappointing fourth-quarter report included an unexpected $500 million legal reserve related to its U.S. consumer businesses, as the CFPB reviews the bank's card products.

The fast-growing Berkshire Bank in Pittsfield, Mass., hopes that features like community rooms with video-game systems will attract customers as it enters new markets.

Westamerica Bancorp. (WABC) in San Rafael, Calif., reported lower quarterly earnings as low interest rates and competition took a bite out of its bottom line.