WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama on Thursday chose two old friends with corporate executive experience for top posts on his economic team, naming longtime fundraiser Penny Pritzker as Commerce secretary and adviser Michael Froman as U.S. Trade Representative.

2. Freddie Mac Accuses Banks of Rigging Rates - Saturday, March 23, 2013

Freddie Mac has sued 15 big international banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Citigroup, accusing them of rigging a key interest rate and causing huge losses for the government-controlled mortgage giant.

3. Freddie Mac Accuses Big Banks of Rigging Lending Rate - Thursday, March 21, 2013

Freddie Mac has sued 15 big international banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Citigroup, accusing them of rigging a key interest rate and causing huge losses for the government-controlled mortgage giant.

4. JPMorgan to Trim 4,000 Jobs, Many in Consumer Banking - Wednesday, February 27, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – JPMorgan is trimming about 4,000 jobs, or about 1.5 percent of its work force, becoming the latest big bank to shrink its staff.

The bank said the cuts will be focused in consumer banking and mortgages. Many of the cuts would come through attrition, but the bank will lay off workers as well, a bank spokeswoman said.

5. Oracle to Buy Acme Packet for About $2.1 Billion - Tuesday, February 05, 2013

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. (AP) – Oracle will buy Acme Packet Inc., which makes equipment for telecommunications companies, for about $2.1 billion.

Acme's gear is used by more than 1,900 service providers and enterprises around the world. Its technology will complement Oracle's offerings for telecoms providers, said Citigroup analyst Walter Pritchard.

6. Lender Processing Paying $121 Million to Resolve Claims - Friday, February 01, 2013

One of the biggest U.S. mortgage processing companies has agreed to pay $121 million to resolve states' claims that it wrongfully foreclosed on homeowners who should have been allowed to stay in their homes.

7. Jack Lew Expected to be Next Treasury Secretary - Thursday, January 10, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – White House chief of staff Jack Lew is President Barack Obama's expected pick to lead the Treasury Department, with an announcement possible before the end of the week, as the administration moves to fill the most critical jobs in the Cabinet.

8. Fewer US Banks Fail as Industry Strengthens - Wednesday, January 02, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. banks ended 2012 with their best profits since 2006 and fewer failures than at any time since the financial crisis struck in 2008. They're helping support an economy slowed by high unemployment, flat pay, sluggish manufacturing and anxious consumers.

9. Citigroup to Cut 11,000 Jobs - Thursday, December 06, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Citigroup said Wednesday that it will cut 11,000 jobs, a bold early move by new CEO Michael Corbat.

The cuts amount to about 4 percent of Citi's workforce. The bulk of them, about 6,200 jobs, will come from Citi's consumer banking unit, which handles everyday functions like branches and checking accounts.

10. US Bank Earnings Rise 6.6 Percent, Most in 6 Years - Wednesday, December 05, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. banks earned more from July through September than in any other quarter over the past six years. The increase is further evidence that the industry is strengthening four years after the 2008 financial crisis.

11. Securities and Exchange Official Elisse Walter Chosen to Lead Agency - Tuesday, November 27, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama has chosen Elisse Walter, one of five members of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to head the agency. Chairman Mary Schapiro will leave next month after a tumultuous tenure in which she helped lead the government's regulatory response to the financial crisis.

12. Five Big US Banks Cut Mortgage Balances by $6.3 Billion - Tuesday, November 20, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Five of the biggest U.S. banks have cut struggling homeowners' mortgage balances by $6.3 billion, part of a total $26.1 billion in home loan relief provided under a landmark settlement over foreclosure abuses.

13. After Pandit, a Smaller Citigroup Could Get Smaller Yet - Thursday, October 18, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – The incredible shrinking bank may have to shrink more.

In the hours after Tuesday's surprise announcement that Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit was stepping down, speculation was rife, and facts scant, about what lay ahead for the nation's third-largest bank.

14. Bank of America Says Housing has ‘Begun to Turn' - Thursday, October 18, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – For banks, mortgage-making kept profits humming before the financial crisis, then blackened reputations and stamped out earnings when the crisis hit.

Now, the business of mortgage lending is more of a mixed bag.

15. Mortgage Comeback? Citigroup Isn't So Sure - Tuesday, October 16, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Citigroup isn't as enthusiastic as its peers about a comeback in the housing market.

On Friday, executives at Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase declared that the long-struggling market had turned a corner. On Monday, Citigroup's top number-cruncher said he wasn't so sure.

16. Dollar General Shareholders to Sell 30 Million Shares - Friday, September 28, 2012

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Discount retailer Dollar General Corp. said Thursday that some of its shareholders plan to sell 30 million shares of its common stock in an underwritten secondary public offering.

17. AP IMPACT: Aggressive Start for Consumer Bureau - Thursday, September 13, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The new federal agency charged with enforcing consumer finance laws is emerging as an ambitious sheriff, taking on companies for deceptive fees and marketing and unmoved by protests that its tactics go too far.

18. Morgan Stanley to Buy Citi's Smith Barney Stake - Wednesday, September 12, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Morgan Stanley and Citigroup have settled a dispute Tuesday over the value of the brokerage firm Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, which they jointly own.

19. Tennessee Starting to Benefit From Foreclosure Settlement - Friday, August 31, 2012

Tennessee homeowners have received more than $36 million in relief from March 1 through June 30 as part of a nationwide settlement reached with the country’s five big mortgage servicers.

That’s according to the office of Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper. The relief is in the form of loan modifications, refinances and facilitated short sales.

20. US Bank Earnings Rose 21 Percent in 2nd Quarter - Wednesday, August 29, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. bank earnings rose 21 percent in the April-June quarter and lending to consumers increased, adding to evidence that the industry is strengthening four years after the financial crisis.

21. Collins is Wharton's Pick for Finance Director - Monday, August 20, 2012

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. has picked Brian Collins, the interim president and CEO of the Postal Employees Credit Union, to be the city’s new director of finance and administration.

22. Study: Companies Paid More to CEOs Than in US Tax - Friday, August 17, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Twenty-six big U.S. companies paid their CEOs more last year than they paid the federal government in tax, according to a study released Thursday by a liberal-leaning think tank.

23. GOP: Geithner Failed to Tell Congress About LIBOR - Thursday, July 26, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Republican lawmakers are criticizing Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner for failing to alert Congress four years ago that banks could have been manipulating a key global interest rate.

24. How Apple's Phantom Taxes Hide Billions in Profit - Tuesday, July 24, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – On Tuesday, Apple is set to report financial results for the second quarter. Analysts are expecting net income of $9.8 billion. But whatever figure Apple reports won't reflect its true profit, because the company hides some of it with an unusual tax maneuver.

25. Nursing Home Owner Files $13 Million Loan - Tuesday, July 24, 2012

3549 Norriswood Ave.
Memphis, TN 38111

Loan Amount: $13 million

Loan Date: July 13, 2012

26. Morgan Stanley Closes a Bleak Bank Earnings Season - Friday, July 20, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) — It's tough being a big bank these days.

Morgan Stanley, the storied investment house, reported Thursday that its revenue was down sharply for April through June and its profit missed Wall Street expectations. Its stock was clobbered — down more than 5 percent.

27. Amsdell Cos. Buys Two Storage Facilities - Thursday, July 19, 2012

Cleveland-based Amsdell Cos. has bought a pair of storage facilities from Memphis Storage Group LLC for a combined $4.2 million.

28. Returns Equal Reality Minus Expectations - Wednesday, July 18, 2012

At the beginning of the year, expectations ran high. Some economists forecasted U.S. GDP growth rates above 4 percent, European credit spreads indicated crisis containment, and China’s economy appeared to be on a government-conceived glide to slower, non-inflationary growth. As expectations ran high, the first quarter provided stock market investors with the best index returns in 14 years.

29. NY Fed Told of Interest Rate Manipulation in '07 - Monday, July 16, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released documents Friday that show it learned five years ago of big banks understating their borrowing costs to manipulate a key interest rate.

30. FTN Financial Expands Municipal Bond Group - Thursday, July 12, 2012

FTN Financial, a division of First Tennessee Bank, has made several recent hires in its Municipal Bond Group.

31. Big US Banks Submit "Living Wills" to Regulators - Wednesday, July 04, 2012

Nine of the largest U.S. banks have submitted plans to the federal regulators that show how they would break up and sell off their assets if they are in danger of failing.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. released summaries of the "living wills" on Tuesday for Bank of America, Barclays, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and UBS.

32. Dollar General to Sell $450 Million in Senior Debt - Thursday, June 28, 2012

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Dollar General Corp. announced Wednesday that it is offering $450 million in senior notes due in 2017.

The discount retailer said it plans to use the proceeds, along with cash on hand and possible other borrowings, to redeem its outstanding senior unsubordinated notes.

33. JPMorgan Loss Sets Off Call for Heavier Regulation - Monday, May 14, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – A surprise $2 billion trading loss by a division of JPMorgan Chase triggered calls Friday for tougher regulation of banks three years after their near-death experience in the financial crisis.

34. MasterCard, Visa Warn of Cardholder Data Breach - Monday, April 02, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – MasterCard and Visa said Friday that they had notified issuers of its credit cards of a potential breach of the security of customer accounts. Visa blamed a third company for the error.

35. Citigroup Settles Over Excessive Charges for $1.2M - Tuesday, March 20, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Citigroup is paying $1.25 million to settle with industry regulators over allegations that it charged customers too much on corporate bond transactions.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the securities industry's self-policing regulator, say it has fined a Citigroup subsidiary $600,000 and ordered it to repay $648,000 to customers for excessive charges.

36. Fannie, Freddie Executive Pay Limited, Bonuses Cut - Monday, March 12, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The government is capping pay for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac executives at $500,000 per year and eliminating annual bonuses, giving in to pressure from Congress to stop big payouts at the bailed-out mortgage giants.

37. Raymond James Declares Price for Stock Offering - Thursday, February 16, 2012

Raymond James Financial Inc., the soon-to-be-new parent of Memphis-based Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc., has announced the pricing of its public offering of 10.5 million shares of common stock at $34 per share.

38. Citigroup Pays $158M to Settle Mortgage Fraud - Thursday, February 16, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Citigroup has agreed to pay $158.3 million to settle claims that its mortgage unit duped the U.S. government into insuring risky mortgage loans for over six years.

The government said Wednesday that Citi Mortgage certified 30,000 mortgages for insurance provided by the Federal Housing Agency and submitted many certifications that were "knowingly or recklessly false."

39. Pricing Announced for Raymond James Stock Offering - Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Raymond James Financial Inc., the soon-to-be new parent of Memphis-based Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc., has announced the pricing of its public offering of 10.5 million shares of common stock at $34 per share.

40. Invest Like It’s 2013 - Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The January Effect As each year closes, tax-savvy money managers purge their investment losers to harvest tax losses and window-dress year-end statements. With the turn of the calendar year, unloved names get repurchased, making last year’s losers suddenly this year’s winners.

41. Turbo-Traders Take Bank of America for a Ride - Monday, February 13, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – On a normal day, 4 billion shares of stock change hands on the New York Stock Exchange. One in 10 belongs to a single company. It's not McDonald's or IBM, both of which have been on a tear.

42. Foreclosure Deal Nets State $146M - Friday, February 10, 2012

The state of Tennessee is participating in a $25 billion settlement announced Thursday, Feb. 9, between 49 states – all but Oklahoma – over foreclosure abuses from some of the nation’s biggest lenders.

43. Foreclosure Deal Nets $146M for Tennessee - Thursday, February 09, 2012

The state of Tennessee is participating in a $25 billion settlement announced Thursday, Feb. 9, between 49 states – all but Oklahoma – over foreclosure abuses from some of the nation’s biggest lenders.

44. GTx Shares Up Sharply After Citigroup Report - Thursday, February 02, 2012

Shares of GTx Inc. rose about 50 percent Monday, Jan. 30, after Citigroup predicted the Memphis-based pharmaceutical company was likely about a year away from reporting positive results from its Phase III clinical trials for Ostarine, a drug designed to prevent and treat muscle wasting in cancer patients.

45. GTx Shares Rise 50 Pct. After Positive Citigroup Report - Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Shares of GTx Inc. rose about 50 percent Monday, Jan. 30, after Citigroup predicted the Memphis-based pharmaceutical company was likely about a year away from reporting positive results from its Phase III clinical trials for Ostarine, a drug designed to prevent and treat muscle wasting in cancer patients.

46. Banks Face Bumpy Earnings Season - Thursday, January 12, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – You can usually tell a lot about the health of the U.S. economy by looking at the financial results of banks. They’re the people who finance new factories, plant expansions and fatter payrolls.

47. US Proposes New, Tougher Rules for Big Banks - Wednesday, December 21, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – The Federal Reserve on Tuesday said the largest U.S. banks and financial companies should hold extra cash on their balance sheets to cushion themselves against financial crises.

48. Bank of America Settles Mortgage Suit for $315M - Wednesday, December 07, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Bank of America agreed to pay $315 million to settle claims by investors that they were misled about mortgage-backed investments sold by its Merrill Lynch unit.

The settlement was disclosed in court papers filed late Monday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan and requires the approval of a judge.

49. NYC Judge Rejects $285M SEC-Citigroup Agreement - Tuesday, November 29, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – A federal judge on Monday struck down a $285 million settlement that Citigroup reached with the Securities and Exchange Commission, saying he couldn't tell whether the deal was fair and criticizing regulators for shielding the public from the details of what the firm did wrong.

50. Citigroup May Cut 3,000 or More Jobs to Cut Costs - Thursday, November 17, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Citigroup Inc. is the latest bank seeking to trim costs with a smaller work force.

51. Universal, Sony/ATV to Buy EMI for $4.1 Billion - Monday, November 14, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) – EMI Group Ltd., the iconic British music company that is home to The Beatles, Coldplay and Katy Perry, is being split and sold for $4.1 billion.

The deal will open EMI's buyers, Universal Music and Sony/ATV, to regulatory scrutiny as they increase their dominance of the music industry.

52. US to Conduct 4th Round of Bank Stress Tests - Monday, November 14, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The second-ranking member of the Federal Reserve said the central bank will conduct a fourth round of stress tests in the coming weeks to determine if U.S. banks can withstand a recession.

53. US Defends $285M Settlement With Citigroup - Tuesday, November 08, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The government is telling a federal judge that $285 million is a fair penalty for Citigroup Inc. to pay to settle charges that it misled buyers of a complex mortgage investment ahead of the housing bust.

54. Fed-Up Consumers Planning for 'Bank Transfer Day' - Monday, November 07, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – It's moving day for bank customers.

A grassroots movement that sprang to life last month is urging bank customers to close their accounts in favor of credit unions by Saturday.

55. Cybersecurity Importance Grows - Monday, October 31, 2011

Anyone reading this article via the Internet is part of a crowd that’s 2.5 billion strong. That’s how many people are currently connected to the ‘Net, according to cybersecurity authority Melissa Hathaway, who was in town Thursday to share with the Economic Club of Memphis her warnings about how fragile the world’s digital infrastructure is.

56. Citigroup Paying $285M to Settle SEC Fraud Charges - Thursday, October 20, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Citigroup has agreed to pay $285 million to settle civil fraud charges that it misled buyers of complex mortgage investment just as the housing market was starting to collapse.

57. Citigroup Earnings Rise 74 Percent, to $3.8 Bln - Tuesday, October 18, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Citigroup's strategy of slimming down and focusing on a few core businesses is paying off.

The New York bank reported third quarter earnings rose 74 percent in the third quarter, to $3.8 billion, due to lower losses from loans and an accounting gain. Its international consumer lending business grew in Asia and Latin America. The bank also decided to keep its credit card partnership with retailers as that business improved.

58. JPMorgan's Income Drop Casts a Pall Over Banks - Friday, October 14, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – If JPMorgan Chase can't do well, investors worry that other banks may do even worse.

The New York bank, widely considered the strongest in the industry, reported a 4 percent drop in income last quarter Thursday on weakness in investment banking and more costs related to litigation over mortgage investments.

59. Bank Earnings to Reflect Slowdown From Q3 Turmoil - Tuesday, October 11, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Investors are bracing for a rough earnings season from banks.

Turbulence in stock and bond markets, combined with waning confidence among business and consumers, hurt banks' business in the third quarter. IPOs were shelved, companies postponed plans to sell bonds, and acquisitions were put on ice. Consumers also held back on spending.

60. Mortgage Fraud Reports Spike as Lawsuits Pile Up - Thursday, September 29, 2011

VIENNA, Va. (AP) – The wave of lawsuits and other demands from investors in mortgage-backed securities contributed to a big spike in reports of likely mortgage fraud during the second quarter, according to a Treasury Department report.

61. Moody's Cuts Lenders' Ratings - Thursday, September 22, 2011

Moody’s Investors Service lowered the debt ratings for Bank of America Corp., Wells Fargo & Co. and Citigroup Inc., saying it is now less likely that the U.S. government would step in and prevent the lenders from failing in a crisis.

62. First Horizon, Fitch Say Risk Manageable - Monday, September 19, 2011

Bryan Jordan, the president and CEO of First Tennessee Bank’s parent company, told his audience at an industry conference a few days ago in New York City that his company has been out of the mortgage business for three years now.

63. Large Banks Must Show So-Called 'Living Wills' - Wednesday, September 14, 2011

The largest U.S. banks will be required to show regulators how they would break up and sell off their assets if they are in danger of failing.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. voted 3-0 Tuesday, Sept. 13, to approve the rules, which were mandated under the financial overhaul passed by Congress last year.

64. Feds Sue 17 Major U.S. Banks, Including First Tenn. Parent - Wednesday, September 07, 2011

The federal agency that oversees the government-sponsored mortgage entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has filed lawsuits seeking billions of dollars in compensation from several major U.S. banks, including the parent company of First Tennessee Bank.

65. Feds Sue 17 Major U.S. Banks, including First Tenn. Parent - Tuesday, September 06, 2011

The federal agency that oversees the government-sponsored mortgage entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has filed suit seeking billions of dollars in compensation from several major U.S. banks, including the parent company of First Tennessee Bank.

66. Discover Buying $2.5B in Student Loans From Citi - Friday, September 02, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Discover Financial Services on Thursday said it is buying another $2.5 billion in private student loans from Citigroup.

The deal, disclosed in a regulatory filing, comes nine months after Discover bought Citi's private student loan business, The Student Loan Corp., and a portfolio of loans and other assets totaling $4.2 billion.

67. Govt Recoups Bailout Money From Warrant Sales - Monday, August 29, 2011

The Treasury Department says it has recovered roughly $900 million during the first six months of the year from sales of warrants it received from bailed-out financial companies to offset losses from the Wall Street rescue program.

68. FDIC: Number of Problem Banks Fell to 865 in Q2 - Wednesday, August 24, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of troubled banks tracked by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. fell in the April-June quarter, the first quarterly drop in five years. But growth in bank earnings slowed, a sign that the financial industry is feeling the effects of a weak economy.

69. Google's Patent Play: $12.5B for Motorola Mobility - Tuesday, August 16, 2011

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Google Inc.'s $12.5 billion deal to buy cellphone maker Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. is aimed at giving the Internet search leader more legal firepower as it battles Apple Inc. and Microsoft Corp. to gain the upper hand in the increasingly important mobile computing market.

70. JPMorgan Investment Bank has Surprise Gains in Q2 - Friday, July 15, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – JPMorgan Chase surprised Wall Street Thursday with a sharp increase in investment banking income at a time when other banks are warning of layoffs because of a slowdown in trading.

71. Shuttle Cost: More Than AIG Bailout, Less Than War - Wednesday, July 06, 2011

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – At $196 billion, the amount of money taxpayers spent during the lifetime of the space shuttle program seems astronomical.

But the entire federal government spends that much in just three weeks. In big bucks Washington, even $196 billion is relative.

72. Obama to Nominate Curry as Comptroller of Currency - Monday, July 04, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama said Friday he will nominate Thomas Curry, a federal bank regulator, to be the U.S. comptroller of the currency.

73. Penney's Shopping Experience Could be Transformed - Tuesday, June 21, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Imagine the possibilities of J.C. Penney in the future: An iPad enables one shopper to mix and match shirts and slacks without having to undress. A teen sends a mobile photo of a skirt to her father, who pays for it without leaving home by using his smartphone.

74. Study: Risky Online Behavior Common - Thursday, June 16, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Big companies such as Citigroup and Sony have been the targets of major hacking attacks. Yet a new survey finds that regular people are also prime and often unsuspecting targets.

75. Hackers Nab Card Data From 200,000 Citi Customers - Monday, June 13, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Citigroup Inc. has become the latest victim in a string of high-profile data thefts by hackers targeting some of the world's best-known companies.

76. Sony, Epsilon Execs Support Data Breach Bill - Friday, June 03, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Top executives from Sony and online marketing firm Epsilon told lawmakers Thursday that they support federal legislation that would require companies to promptly notify consumers if their personal information is stolen or exposed by a data breach.

77. Troubled Banks Made Up About 12 Pct of Total in Q1 - Wednesday, May 25, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of U.S. banks at risk of failing made up nearly 12 percent of all federally insured banks in the first three months of 2011, the highest level in 18 years.

78. Consumers Feel the Pinch of Pricier Gas and Food - Monday, April 18, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Americans are paying more for food and gas, a trend that threatens to slow the economy at a crucial time.

So far, the spike in such necessities hasn't stopped businesses from stepping up hiring or slowed factory production, which rose in March for the ninth straight month. Still, higher gas prices have led some economists to lower their forecasts for growth for the January-March quarter.

79. Gov't Orders Lenders to Reimburse Homeowners - Thursday, April 14, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government on Wednesday ordered 16 of America's largest mortgage lenders and servicers to reimburse homeowners who were improperly foreclosed upon.

Government regulators also directed the financial firms to hire auditors to determine how many homeowners could have avoided foreclosure in 2009 and 2010.

80. Banks, Credit-Card Issuers Warn of Email Breach - Tuesday, April 05, 2011

With the possible theft of millions of email addresses from an advertising company, several large companies have started warning customers to expect fraudulent emails that try to coax account login information from them.

81. In Blow for BofA, Fed Rejects its Dividend Plan - Thursday, March 24, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – It was one more blow for Bank of America: the Federal Reserve didn't allow nation's largest bank to increase its dividends.

The decision by the Fed makes Bank of America Corp. the only one of the four largest U.S. banks that wasn't able to raise its dividend, something shareholders have been clamoring for.

82. Fed Clears Way for Some Banks to Boost Dividends - Monday, March 21, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve on Friday cleared the way for some major banks to boost stock dividends, prompting announcements from JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bancorp.

83. Foreclosure Activity Slows Sharply in February - Friday, March 11, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) – The number of U.S. homes receiving a foreclosure-related notice fell to a 36-month low last month, as lenders delayed taking action against homeowners amid heightened scrutiny over banks' handling of home repossessions.

84. Troubled Banks Rise to Highest Level in 18 Years - Thursday, February 24, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of banks at risk of failing made up nearly 12 percent of all federally insured banks in the final three months of 2010, the highest level in 18 years.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp said Wednesday that the number of banks on its confidential "problem" list rose to 884 in the October-December quarter, up from 860 in the previous quarter. Those are banks rated by examiners as having very low capital cushions against risk.

85. ‘Big 3’ Reflect Local Banking Scene - Monday, February 21, 2011

One of the most famous aphorisms about politics is that all of it is local. Bankers and other inhabitants of the finance world know the same often goes for them too.

In the run-up to the recession, financial services firms like Citigroup and Bank of America raced to gobble each other up and built sprawling financial supermarkets.

86. Sports Sponsorships Big Biz for Financial Institutions - Monday, February 14, 2011

The banking sector’s image took a major hit during the recession, as banks took actions that included fee hikes, stepping up foreclosures, closing down some customer accounts and shutting down the lending spigot.

87. Treasury Announces Bank Warrant Auction - Tuesday, February 01, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Treasury Department says this week it will auction off warrants it received from Boston Private Financial Holdings Inc., the latest effort to recoup the costs of the $700 billion financial bailout.

88. BofA Reports Loss of $1.6 Billion in 4Q - Monday, January 24, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Bank of America Corp. reported a loss of $1.6 billion Friday after its costs related to soured home loans increased.

89. CitiFinancial Changing Name to OneMain Financial - Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Memphis customers of CitiFinancial, the consumer lending arm of Citigroup, have begun receiving notifications that local CitiFinancial branches are changing their name to OneMain Financial.

“We’re changing the name to distinguish ourselves with an identity that better fits who we are and what we do,” a letter to customers reads. “The transition to the new name will take place over the next several months, and we wanted you to be among the first to know.”

90. New Tax Law Packed With Obscure Business Tax Cuts - Tuesday, December 28, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – The massive new tax bill signed into law by President Barack Obama is filled with all kinds of holiday stocking stuffers for businesses: tax breaks for producing TV shows, grants for putting up windmills, rum subsidies for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

91. Fed ID's Companies That Used Crisis Loan Programs - Thursday, December 02, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve revealed details Wednesday of more than $3 trillion in emergency aid it provided to U.S. and foreign banks during the financial crisis.

It also named the companies that used its emergency loan programs and revealed how much they borrowed. Newly released documents show the companies included Goldman Sachs & Co., Citigroup Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co. They also show that foreign banks such as Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and Deutche Bank borrowed hundreds of billions of dollars.

92. Hedge Fund Manager Buys FHN Shares - Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The hedge fund run by famed manager John Paulson bought 122,882 shares of First Tennessee Bank’s parent company during the third quarter.

93. Shadows of Doubt - Monday, November 29, 2010

As the housing market continues to improve, a significant backlog of foreclosed and distressed properties that have not been put on the market could bring the recovery to a screeching halt.

Many lenders across the nation – mostly banks – are struggling to keep up with the overwhelming number of borrowers who have stopped making their mortgage payments. And with the fledgling recovery in housing still weak, banks, institutional investors and even some homeowners who want to sell their homes are waiting until the market shows marked improvement.

94. BofA, Citi, Wells Warn of Mortgage Lawsuits - Monday, November 08, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) – Large U.S. banks are saying they could face rising costs related to litigation related to mortgage loans.

In regulatory filings Friday, Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., and Wells Fargo & Co. warned that they are being sued by investors which could lead to losses.

95. Fed Boss: Regulators Looking Into Foreclosure Mess - Tuesday, October 26, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal banking regulators are examining whether mortgage companies cut corners on their own procedures when they moved to foreclose on people's homes, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Monday.

96. SEC Proposes Caps on Trading Venue Stakes - Thursday, October 14, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal regulators on Wednesday proposed to cap the stake that banks and other market players can own in exchanges where the complex investments blamed for hastening the financial crisis are traded.

97. Officials in 50 States Launch Foreclosure Probe - Thursday, October 14, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – Officials in 50 states and the District of Columbia have launched a joint investigation into allegations that mortgage companies mishandled documents and broke laws in foreclosing on hundreds of thousands of homeowners.

98. Citi Selling $1.6B Consumer Finance Assets to GE - Thursday, October 07, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) – Citigroup is selling $1.6 billion in retail sales finance assets to GE Capital as the bank continues to restructure its business to focus on core consumer banking operations.

99. Treasury Announces Sale of Citigroup Shares - Thursday, September 30, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government said Wednesday it is starting to sell $2.2 billion in trust preferred shares that it holds in Citigroup, another move to recoup the costs incurred in the $700 billion financial bailout.

100. Citigroup Shedding Student Loan Business - Monday, September 20, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) — Citigroup says it is selling its student loan business and about $32 billion in related assets to Discover Financial Services and the student lender Sallie Mae.

The big banking company has been looking for a buyer for its 80 percent stake in the Student Loan Corp. for some time as it refocuses it operations. Citi was one of the hardest hit banks by the recession and credit crisis.