BankThink

Friday Flashback: Did Citi Coin the Term 'Fintech'?

09/25/15

Now a buzzword for disruptive technologies, Fintech was the name of a research project initiated by Citicorp in the 1990s, when the Citigroup predecessor was trying to shed its image of being "out of touch with market preferences."

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Morning Scan: More Redlining Settlements?; Homebuilders Excited, Problems Loom

09/25/15

Receiving Wide Coverage ... Concern About Redlining Settlement: Some observers expressed concern over the $33 million settlement Hudson City Savings Bank reached with federal regulators over alleged redlining. The Paramus, N.J., thrift's deal with the Department of Justice and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sets a Â"disturbing precedent,Â" because more redlining settlements are probably on the horizon, said Guggenheim analyst Jaret Seiberg. Â...

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Better Marketing Can Help Banks Boost Branch Traffic

09/24/15

Community banksÂ' marketing efforts should aim to go beyond increasing brand visibility to engage customers face to face.

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Postal Banking: A Lifesaver for America's Poor

09/24/15

American banks long ago deserted their most impoverished communities. Today, post offices are uniquely well positioned to serve the underbanked population Â-- and perhaps reinvigorate a culture of saving in the process.

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Morning Scan: Problems for Student-Loan Pools; Energy Lenders Squeezed

09/24/15

Wall Street Journal

Here's another problem with America's skyrocketing student-loan debt. Bonds backed by student loans are become more risky, as investors fear new programs to lower monthly payments means they won't get paid in time, or at all. Withot the revenues generated by securitizing the debt, andbanks have less capital to make new loans. ...

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Is Dodd-Frank Doing Its Job?

09/23/15

The only way to evaluate the appropriateness of Dodd-Frank's costs is to monitor the economic benefits that it creates. That's why the government needs to find a quantifiable way to measure the efficiency of its regulations.

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Sen. Durbin: Fed Botched My Interchange Rule

09/23/15

It's time for the Fed to stop giving deference to the banking industry and correct the industry's swipe fee increases on small-ticket transactions.

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Morning Scan: Moynihan Wins Vote; Blankfein's Illness

09/23/15

Receiving Wide Coverage ...

B of A Passes Vote Test: Brian Moynihan decisively won a shareholder vote to allow him to retain both the CEO and chairman titles at Bank of America. But shareholders who wanted to yank the chairman title from him told the Journal and FT that they still plan to hold his feet to the fire. ...

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Trust Payday Loan Borrowers to Make Decisions for Themselves

09/22/15

Contrary to the CFPBÂ's paternalistic claims, most payday loan borrowers are aware that it may take them more than two weeks to repay the credit they take out.

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How the Most Powerful Women Overcome Doubts

09/22/15

One of the things that struck me in getting to know the women in our rankings better is that some of them have had significant career setbacks along the way. But they exude confidence anyway, because they have learned how to be fearless.

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