Technology

Peoples Bancorp reported higher earnings in the second quarter than a year earlier thanks to a stronger loan portfolio.

Under the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau plan, lenders would need to respond to virtually every public complaint — even those by consumers, disgruntled employees, and competitors that abuse this forum.

Republic Bancorp reported a slight bump in second-profits due to modest loan growth but results were tempered somewhat by a sharp drop in mortgage banking income.

Second-quarter earnings nearly doubled at Home Loan Servicing Solutions, despite a significant jump in operating expenses, as prepayments remained low and the rate of liquidations of seriously delinquent loans recovered.

Wells Fargo & Co. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. , the behemoths of the U.S. mortgage market, are surrendering more business to nonbank lenders.

Property valuation fraud risk in the first quarter was up from a year ago, while mortgage fraud risk remained unchanged, according to an Interthinx report.

Nearly five years after Bank of America dumped the Mortgage Servicing Package for technology it obtained in its acquisition of Countrywide, a forlorn Black Knight Financial Services is trying to win back the country's third-largest servicer.

Beginning home construction unexpectedly declined in June to a nine-month low as a record plunge in the South swamped gains in the rest of the U.S.

Confidence among homebuilders rose more than forecast in July, reaching the highest level in six months, as growing payrolls brightened the outlook after a shaky first half.

Mortgage applications decreased last week from the previous week, led by a drop in purchase loan requests.