JPMorgan Chase

Banks say that an appeals court’s decision to ease restrictions will allow them to warn customers more easily when loans are past due or accounts have been compromised. But consumer groups argue that the decision gives financial firms license to market their products more aggressively and could lead to more harassing phone calls over unpaid debts.

Tight margins, regulatory clarity and a renewed appetite to expand have made mortgage brokers and the wholesale channel attractive again, at least to the small and medium mortgage lenders.

The bank will spend an additional $1.4 billion on technology in 2018 to gain share and boost efficiency, executives said Tuesday. But they were peppered with questions about whether the big investment will yield a big financial return down the road.

Banco Santander joined existing investors JPMorgan and USAA as well as others in raising $25 million in secondary-round financing for Roostify, which seeks to build a paperless mortgage process.

The JPMorgan Chase CEO is rejecting arguments that banks are poised to loosen underwriting standards to win more mortgage business. He said what's needed to encourage banks to make more loans to borrowers with spotty credit files are changes to FHA rules and other policy fixes.

JPMorgan Chase reported lower mortgage banking revenue in the fourth quarter as the returns from its servicing business declined from the previous year.

With recommended reads from Chase Mortgage's Mike Weinbach, New American Funding's Patty Arvielo and more, check out these 13 books every mortgage pro should have on their winter reading list.

Former top commercial mortgage-backed securities strategist Trevor Murray accused the Swiss lender of illegally firing him in 2012 for blowing the whistle on attempts by traders to influence his research reports.

Earlier versions of the bill would have caused bigger changes in how Americans finance home purchases, higher education and retirement. Still, the final legislation will have important effects on borrowing and saving decisions.

Just over half of the collateral for the $883 million deal is eligible to be purchased by Fannie or Freddie; the bank itself contributed nearly half.