Strategic plans

JPMorgan Chase denied a report in the German magazine WirtschaftsWoche that it's interested in acquiring a stake in Deutsche Bank, after the lender's share price slumped.

There's a battle being waged by Bank of Montreal and its smaller rival, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, as they compete against JPMorgan Chase and almost 200 other lenders in so-called Chicagoland — one of the toughest banking markets in the U.S.

JPMorgan Chase plans to sell its stake in Saudi Investment Bank back to the Riyadh-based lender at a 24% discount as it exits noncore holdings globally.

Bank of Montreal is revamping its U.S. digital operation and targeting small businesses in the Midwest to boost growth at its BMO Harris Bank lender.

Fixing HSBC's troubled U.S. division will be one of the "most challenging" parts of the lender's new $17 billion strategy, Chief Executive Officer John Flint said.

The OCC finds that Wells Fargo was not alone in its sales abuse practices (though it's not naming names); Fifth Third's Tim Spence is our Digital Banker of the Year; the CFPB acting director wipes out the agency's Consumer Advisory Board; and more from this week's most-read stories.

HSBC Chief Executive Officer John Flint and Chairman Mark Tucker are considering shrinking the bank's global imprint even further as part of a plan set to be revealed over coming months, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

Live Oak Bancshares took two years developing a loan for cemetery operators, a group that faces challenges with financing for property improvements.

The move provides a strong hint of the long-term succession plan CEO Leon Holschbach is putting in place.