Consumer lending

Senior loan officers polled by the Federal Reserve reported that they further upped their standards for approving credit for customers. But they also signaled that concerns are easing and credit quality is poised for improvement.

Republic First Bank allegedly discriminated against minority borrowers before it went under in April. New Jersey officials want both the acquirer of its remains, Fulton Bank, and the FDIC to assume some responsibility.

California's Department of Financial Protection and Innovation is requiring registration by mid-February of debt settlement firms, earned wage access providers, private secondary education financing and student debt relief services.

With the payments industry looking for signs of consumer distress, the credit card company says spending is starting to stabilize and it's retaining customers at a strong rate.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Goldman Sachs failed to investigate tens of thousands of disputes, while Apple misled iPhone purchasers about interest-free payment options. The two companies were ordered to pay $89 million.

The Detroit company's charge-offs on consumer auto loans rose sharply last quarter. Its CEO said he's confident losses will decline, but the next few quarters "will be choppy."

Though still feeling the effects of margin compression, the Columbus, Ohio-based company reported solid growth in loans and fee income and is projecting record spread income next year.

The Buffalo, New York-based bank said its commercial real estate portfolio continued to shrink, but this was more than offset by business and consumer lending.

Purchases on the company's credit cards fell 4% as some customers traded down to cheaper goods or skipped discretionary spending. But CEO Brian Doubles said consumers remain in "pretty good shape" as they manage their budgets.

Bank of America, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank are among the institutions taking advantage of regulatory tailwinds to get more aggressive.