Banking

When Northeast Bancorp decided it wanted to develop a national customer base, it launched a division within its 10-branch banking unit that would be online only and go by another name: ableBanking.

As Isis launched its long-awaited mobile wallet test in Salt Lake City and Austin, Texas, many people flocked to try it out — and quickly reported their impressions over Twitter.

Yadkin Valley Financial has raised $45 million through a private placement and said it will use the funds to "complete strategic classified asset disposition sales."

The New York firm led by Joseph Stilwell disclosed stakes in four new thrifts and cashed out of 10 other institutions during the third quarter. Its investments often signal plans to pressure companies to improve shareholder value.

Critics of nonbanks contend that consumers use "high-cost" alternatives because they are financially illiterate. But, like most simplistic conclusions, this one is seldom accompanied by facts and is as wrong as it is demeaning of the innate intelligence of these consumers.

A pickup in lending lifted First California Financial Group (FCAL) in Westlake Village in the third quarter.

WASHINGTON – A key lawmaker has called on NCUA for information regarding lucrative fee arrangements NCUA has struck with several law firms representing the agency in multi-billion dollar civil suits against Wall Street banks over their sale of mortgage-backed securities to the five failed corporate credit unions.

Third-quarter income at Susquehanna Bancshares (SUSQ) more than doubled as loan growth soared, partly from two recent acquisitions.

Texas Capital Bancshares (TCBI) relied on loan growth and fee income to offset pressure on its net interest margin during the third quarter.

The group staging denial of service attacks on U.S. banks has called a cease fire in recent days, but the malicious activity is expected to resume. Fortunately, banks have effective counter-measures at their disposal.

Nationstar Mortgage bid roughly $2.907 billion for the origination and servicing assets of Residential Capital Corp., about $93 million shy of the top bid placed by Ocwen Financial and its partner Walter Investment Management Corp.

A legal settlement and an investment loss weighed on United Bankshares (UBSI) in Charleston, W.Va., in the third quarter.

Mitek Systems (MITK) is planning on selling the mobile imaging software it already licenses to Progressive — which allows the auto insurer's customers to take pictures of their driver's license and documents — to other parties.

Well-intentioned policies are causing inadvertent redlining. Our proposed Dignity Mortgage would show there are few if any additional risks of lending to the large cohort of presently excluded prospective homebuyers.

A proposed settlement of a merchants’ lawsuit over credit card fees that may cost Visa Inc., MasterCard Inc. and banks as much as $7.25 billion is probably worthy of approval, a federal judge said.

Paul Whitmore was direct and blunt in his assessment of the state of payments in the U.S. when he spoke at this week's Chicago Payments Symposium at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago: "I've been sitting here for two days, wondering how did you get yourself into this mess?"

Dwolla now allows users to make payments in batches, a feature designed to elevate the service beyond person-to-person payments and turn it into a viable tool for business.

Huntington Bancshares, based in Columbus, Ohio, said it plans to add 250 jobs in the Buckeye State over the next four years to support its new credit card business.

General Electric held takeover talks with New Jersey's Hudson City Bancorp shortly before the lender agreed to a $3.7 billion sale to M&T Bank in August, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

LINTHICUM, Md. – State Employees CU of Maryland officially opened its 22nd branch Monday at the University of Maryland in downtown Baltimore.