Economy

Residential starts rose 3.9% last month to a 1.62 million annualized rate after an upwardly revised July print, according to government data released Tuesday.

The builder was found guilty of stealing over $1 million from home buyers, lenders, businesses and a family member’s special needs trust between 2016 and 2020.

Residential construction was up 27% year over year in July, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Dave banking app originally created to do away with overdraft charges has taken the industry by storm. It's on a mission to advance financial opportunities for all Americans. Join Penny Crosman, Executive Editor of American Banker and Jason Wilk, CEO and Co-Founder of Dave as they talk about how this app is changing the way people manage their money and what’s in store for the future of one-stop-shops for finances.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency in the Trump administration had been preoccupied with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s capital position. Acting Director Sandra Thompson has shifted the agency’s focus to affordable housing and fair lending.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated income inequality in America, and that has implications for banks and other lenders. Among those suffering most: renters, front-line workers and minority small-business owners.

Community banks have played and will continue to play a key role in supporting local economies across the country. Join us in a lively conversation with Dennis E. Nixon, President & CEO of International Bank of Commerce (Laredo, Texas) & Chairman, International Bancshares Corporation and Eddie Aldrete, Senior Vice President at International Bank of Commerce as we discuss: (1) the need for bankers and the business community to become involved in political issues. From minimum wage and issues that affect small businesses to regulatory issues that directly affect the banking industry, banking and business leaders need to be thought leaders in the public conversation and (2) how bankers can play a pivotal advocacy role in the free trade process.

This year's assessment for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is the first to take into account a January agreement between the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the Treasury Department that allowed the companies to retain more earnings.

The guarantor of mortgage-backed securities has been without a Senate-confirmed president for four and a half years. The vacancy makes it difficult for other government agencies to coordinate housing objectives, according to stakeholders.

The company’s $204 million in net income was down from unusual highs seen recently but still historically strong thanks to the balance between its loan channels and servicing operation, representatives said.