Lending

WASHINGTON -- Senate Banking Committee leaders are expected to unveil their highly anticipated bipartisan bill to overhaul the mortgage finance market soon, as the window for moving legislation this year continues to narrow.

NEW YORK -- Small business loan approvals at credit unions continued to fall during January, while the approval rates at banks of all sizes continues to rise.

MADISON, Wis. -- In a strong sign that the U.S. economy continues to recover, credit union lending outpaced savings in 2013.

The mammoth agricultural bill which passed the U.S. Senate Tuesday could make agricultural lending a riskier business for credit unions.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The "polar vortex" has made this winter miserable for much of the country, but some members at ElecTel Cooperative FCU here may be perfectly happy to have the cold weather last just a bit longer -- six weeks longer, to be exact.

WASHINGTON -- There's an elephant in the room amidst discussions on how to unwind Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- the two government-sponsored enterprises are now making money hand over fist.

CLEVELAND -- Small credit unions such as the $2 million NoteWorthy FCU in Ohio offer the basics in consumer lending such as car loans and Visa cards.

ELGIN, Ill. -- Credit unions can differentiate themselves from banks, improve their loan yields and save their members from paying the punishing interest rates charged by payday lenders by looking past the top credit tiers.

PHOENIX -- For $1.4 billion Arizona State Credit Union, a poor economy for an extended period of time meant pent-up demand for auto loans -- once it let its members know these loans were available.

While most observers say that nearly any credit union can find success with signature lending -- closed-end, unsecured loans -- some of those that have the most success are CUs that tailor them to a specific niche.

Signature loans are offered by the majority of credit unions across the nation, but it's hard to tell from the marketing of this traditional CU product.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Pentagon FCU continues to expand its real estate CUSO, a move the CU says is enhancing member service and solidifying long-term relationships.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The recent surge in student loan write-offs has industry analysts concerned that the student lending "bubble" may be ready to burst.

GAINESVILLE, Ga. -- Used car values did not slide as much as expected in 2013, despite strong new car sales, reports Black Book, which sees used values holding steady for much of this year.

Credit unions in Alabama and Florida boosted their lending in the third quarter of last year, with member business lending playing a noticeable role.

MADISON, Wis. - Will 2014 be the year the rubber meets the road when it comes to mortgage rules and regulation? Jon Bundy, regulatory compliance manager for CUNA Mutual Group, thinks so.