Topic: Regional Banks and Savings Institutions

How to find a small business-friendly bank

Using FDIC data, one online tool grades banks on their commitments to small business lending.

Dallas Fed: Break up the big banks

According to the Dallas Federal Reserve, one of the nation's most conservative regional banks, taxpayers will be on the hook for another giant Wall Street bailout, and the economy won’t be mended, unless the nation’s biggest banks are broken up.

What does the JOBS Act actually do? Six questions answered.

A bipartisan bill known as the JOBS Act, for 'Jumpstart Our Business Startups,' is among the GOP's priorities in Congress. It is targeted at small-business owners, but what would the bill actually do?

Bankruptcy court lets Washington Mutual reorganize

Bankruptcy reorganization calls for failed bank to distribute $7 billion to creditors and 418 million to shareholders.  Bankruptcy proceedings took more than three years.

Coca-Cola formula, after 86 years in vault, gets new home

Coca-Cola formula is finally freed from the bank vault where it has been stored since 1925. The company has moved the secret Coca-Cola formula to its museum where it sits on display – in a vault.

Debit cards: Chase, Wells Fargo dropping fees

Debit cards' fees so unpopular in pilot programs that Chase, Wells Fargo will eliminate them. Bank of America likely to offer ways to avoid fees on its debit cards.

FDIC closes four banks. Annual total: 84 so far.

FDIC seizes banks in Georgia, Florida, and Colorado. At this point last year, the FDIC had shuttered 139 banks.

Take your money and run

Bank of America's $5 per month debit card fee is just the tip of the iceberg. Big banks are starting to charge fees for what used to be basic services. In protest, switch to a community bank or credit union. It's more convenient than camping out with the Occupy Wall Street protesters.

Stocks end down for week amid uncertainty

Stocks on the Dow gained Friday. But the Dow average closed lower for the week, which turned out to be tumultuous for stocks.

Broken banks, durable delusions

Commercial banks continue to fail, despite decades of heavy regulation. So why believe that government oversight cures financial ills?

Five Senate races to watch

The political turmoil of 2010 has led to a number of close Senate races, with control of the upper chamber possibly in the balance. Here are five of the closest, most interesting, hardest-fought Senate races of this election cycle.

Identity theft scam may have netted man $500,000

Identity theft: Prosecutors say Nigerian-born Iguosade Osahon stole names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers from more than 750 people across the United States.

Europe's debt woes weigh on stock markets again

European stock markets fell again and the American stock market opened lower over European worries on Monday.

Bank failures hit Puerto Rico hard

Three bank failures took place last week in Puerto Rico, affecting about a quarter of the assets of the island's 10 banks.

Regional banks hit nosebleed status

Regional banks are seeing tremendous growth.

Personal finance 101: An online banking primer

If you're new to online banking, here are some tips.

Main Street to Wall Street: No rebound here

A reader writes in from Pennsylvania.

A British dinner theater mystery: Who will Barclays buy?

Rothbardian antibank league on the rise

Murray Rothbard believed that in a free society plain citizens could bring inflationary fractional reserve banks to heel through “antibank leagues" –deliberate and concerted campaigns to get people to withdraw their deposits in cash.

Commercial real estate loans drive more banks onto FDIC’s 'problem list'

There are more banks currently on the FDIC's "problem list" than anytime in the last 17 years. 

Community bankers to Obama on TARP: Thanks, but no thanks

Community bankers say they have plenty of money now, and there isn't the demand for loans. TARP is an unpopular program that some in Congress would like to kill.

Want to protest bank bailouts? Change banks.

A new website, Move Your Money, offers advice on moving accounts from huge banks to local ones.

Why community banks need Obama, and he needs them

President Obama met with 12 community bankers Tuesday in a bid to spur lending to small businesses. They were looking for action from him, as well.

Veterans day appreciation: Top 5 veterans in business

On Veteran's Day, Americans celebrate those who served the country as members of the military. But after trading fatigues for suits, here are the top 5 veterans who have left their mark on the business world.