Consumer lending

Zirtue will now let borrowers retrieve funds from MoneyGram locations rather than being limited to a bank account or debit card.

The bank's $4.6 billion commitment is smaller in size and shorter in duration than a previous plan. It also pledged $9 billion to sustainable finance initiatives over the next three years.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued two reports analyzing banking and consumer credit trends in the South, where many rural areas are considered "banking deserts."

At the Milwaukie, Oregon, institution, total loans increased 16% in the first quarter from a year earlier. But President and CEO Aaron Goff predicted this would level off significantly for his credit union and the industry overall.

California regulators are suggesting that programs that allow workers fee-free access to their earnings between pay periods should be treated as loan products. That's wrong and short-sighted.

Banks and credit unions have come out against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's proposal to cut credit card late fees to $8, saying that figure is too low to cover costs. Finding a more suitable number might save the bureau a lot of trouble.

The American Bankers Association's credit conditions index remained near historic lows despite a slight uptick in the most recent quarter. Pessimism pervaded the outlook for both business and consumer lending.

Bank regulators rolled out two joint proposals this month as part of a broader push to address discrimination in home valuations. Advocates see promise, but appraisers fear the changes could artificially inflate valuations.

Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, lambasted the Federal Reserve for increasing the dominance of "too big to fail" banks and failing to rein in systemic risk. He asked whether the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a better regulator than the Fed.

The measure will prevent banks chartered elsewhere from charging interest rates above Colorado's 36% rate cap. If additional states take the same approach, it could hamper the business model for high-cost consumer lenders that partner with banks.