Banking

The Equifax breach has millions of Americans now thinking about freezing their credit to guard against identity theft. But those who act could be cutting themselves off from the nation's vast credit economy.

Mortgage investors want Freddie Mac to align its policy with Fannie Mae's when it comes to how delinquencies related to Hurricane Harvey affect credit risk transfer deals.

Investor demand for mortgage bonds is strong; the only limiting factors are consumer awareness of the product and loan officers' willingness to offer them.

Efforts to persuade regulators to allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to use alternative credit scores would stifle competition between the credit bureaus and FICO and do little to expand access to credit, according to industry analyst Chris Whalen.

Senate Democrats' legislative bid to reform the credit reporting industry is tempered and balanced, according to analysts, which could help it gain traction in the GOP-controlled Congress.

The online lender has accelerated its search for a permanent CEO and is said to be seeking someone with a history of success in banking.

The bill would create a federal obligation for credit reporting agencies to offer free credit freezes and prevent them from selling consumer information while a freeze is in place.

Banks could be busy supplying credit to manufacturers, hotels, multifamily developers and other businesses that will be helping residents get their lives back on track after two fierce storms.

The U.S. subsidiary of Japanese-owned Orix Corp. is adding another housing finance firm in the commercial and multifamily space to its stable of companies with its purchase of Lancaster Pollard.

Mike Cagney’s eventual successor will have to decide whether to continue his focus on rapid growth. Also on the table are strategic decisions about when to go public and whether to pursue a bank charter.