Lenders could face tougher enforcement and higher penalties if they make errors on the new mortgage disclosure forms that are slated to go in effect next August.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Friday released its list of enforcement actions from September, including a consent order that played a role in derailing two planned acquisitions.

Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt has struck a conciliatory tone, seeking lenders' input and making loan-buyback rules more industry-friendly — a clear signal the administration thinks it needs bankers' help to reignite the tepid housing recovery.

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week.

Some banks' compensation expenses are soaring from the effects of technology upgrades, severance payments and the hunt for loan growth. But they insist that the investments will pay off in the form of higher revenue and improved efficiency.

Ally Financial Inc. said the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approached the company for information in a probe of lending to car buyers with spotty credit.

Wayne Savings Bancshares in Wooster, Ohio, appointed H. Stewart Fitz Gibbon III as president and chief executive of the company and its banking unit.

MB Financial in Chicago saw its earnings dip thanks mainly to costs associated with its acquisition of Taylor Capital Group.

The $1.5 billion-asset bank lost $15 million in the third quarter, its twelfth straight quarterly loss, according to a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. call report made public Friday.

Investors Bancorp in Short Hills, N.J., reported higher third-quarter earnings, fueled by strong loan growth.

First Financial Bancorp in Cincinnati saw its earnings rise slightly in the third quarter because of acquisitions and loan growth.

Megabanks continue to increase their share of personal trust and fiduciary assets, leaving most small banks on the margins of the business. But community banks could stage a comeback by focusing on quality service and the slightly less-rich.

The Bancorp in Wilmington, Del., said on Friday that it has eliminated its commercial lending operations, amid pressure from regulators to fix its anti-money laundering procedures.

Mobile money products are taking off in countries including Bangladesh, Kenya and Somaliland — and banks have a historic opportunity to get involved in this rapidly advancing market.

Continuing housing problems and increasing economic inequality are bringing illness to low-income neighborhoods. To solve the problem, policymakers and financial industry leaders need to develop programs that address the intersecting issues of health and poverty.

As regulators heighten their scrutiny of Bitcoin businesses, several digital currency supporters are looking for business models that do not subject them to the cumbersome requirements they would face as money services businesses or money transmitters.

New York Private Bank scored a victory this week when it lured two entertainment industry lenders away from Comerica Bank to head up its new film finance division. But the small, New York-based bank is also entering a fiercely competitive field. Here are some of the major players it will be up against.

Green Dot announced Thursday that its revenue and net income rose in the third quarter as the firm found ways to earn more money from its base of 4.6 million active prepaid cards.

Citigroup on Thursday revised its third-quarter earnings downward by $600 million, citing an unexpected spike in legal costs.

Profits at United Bankshares soared in the third quarter thanks largely to a recent acquisition, but credit quality weakened slightly as several commercial borrowers struggled to repay their loans.