Significantly fewer households expected to be in worse shape in the coming year than was the case last summer, according to a December survey. The results are a positive sign for banks at the start of earnings season.

Student borrowers in the U.S. are struggling to keep up with other kinds of debt even while college payments are frozen, and a surge in delinquencies is likely if the government's debt-relief plan fails, according to a new study.

Among U.S. financial regulators, Chopra is the one who bankers fear the most. His agency is expected to battle with the financial industry in 2023 on topics ranging from discrimination to fees and the bureau's funding mechanism.

Rohit Chopra, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, said the bank is "not making rapid progress" and hinted at the possibility of additional restrictions. But analysts saw positives for Wells in the $3.7 billion consent order.

Recent clashes over how much investors should get paid when borrowers switch to a new benchmark are a small part of a much larger struggle by global regulators to shift markets away from the scandal-tainted London interbank offered rate.

Though housing is experiencing severe rate-related stress, mortgage banking remains central to the Denver-based bank's business model. The Texas market has held up better than much of the rest of the country, company executives say.

In a sprawling consent order, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau order cited mismanagement that extended from auto loans to mortgages and deposit accounts. Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf called the agreement a critical milestone to "put these issues behind us."

Nonbanks would have to inform the CFPB of any state or local court decisions against them involving consumer financial products, under a new proposed rule. That information would be pooled with data about federal violations and be made available to the public.

Benefits under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act were applied to fewer than 10% of auto loans for active-duty reserve members, the agency found. It urged financial institutions to ease the process for accessing the law's interest rate protections.

After several years when the scandal-plagued bank was focused on cost cutting, CEO Charlie Scharf indicated Tuesday that the company has opportunities to expand revenue across every line of business.

In an appeals court filing, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wrote that a federal judge "ignored regulatory text, history and context" when she ruled against a PNC customer. The consumer argues that the bank shouldn't have pulled funds from his checking account after he was tardy in making payments on his home equity line of credit.

Lenders that offer streamlined refinances in the future shouldn't be required to consider the borrower's income or employment status, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The trade group's comments were part of its response to a request for information on mortgage products that would support the financial stability of households.

Delinquencies are on the rise for FHA-backed loans, with nearly 10% of low-credit borrowers in early payment default. Economists and policy experts say this could signal trouble ahead for other credit products.

Bank of America Corp. is predicting a "shallow economy" though signs of weakness or stress aren't showing yet, according to its chief executive officer.

The American consumer is "in good shape" and spending more this month than a year earlier, even amid inflation, jittery markets and international tensions, according to Bank of America Chief Executive Brian Moynihan.

The settlement with an insurer over Countrywide's mortgage-backed securities closes another chapter on what quickly proved to be an ill-advised acquisition for Bank of America. A trial on the case had kicked off last month.

The same day Provident Financial Services announced it had agreed to buy Lakeland for $1.3 billion, the seller disclosed an ongoing fair-lending investigation by the Justice Department. Provident said it has "not heard anything" that would give it pause.

BayFirst Financial Corp. said it initiated the process of shuttering its out-of-state network of residential mortgage loan production offices.

The country's largest banks should deepen partnerships with minority depository institutions and community development financial institutions, and regulators should facilitate that process.

The class-action lawsuit was brought on behalf of mortgage borrowers who were allegedly placed into forbearance during the early days of the pandemic without their consent.