Kabbage

When customers contact Wells Fargo, its artificial intelligence system goes to work; what American Express is getting with it purchase of Kabbage; Fannie, Freddie refi fee will wipe out millions in mortgage profits; and more from this week's most-read stories.

American Express Co. is acquiring the teams and technology behind the online lender Kabbage Inc. as the credit-card giant seeks to provide more loans and other services to small-business owners.

The online lender has already branched out into facilitating payments and analyzing cash flow for small-business customers. Its new checking account is meant to round out those services.

The new product, which comes as an earlier partnership with the online lender Kabbage is sputtering, figures to appeal to companies with tight cash flows.

Square Capital and other online lenders joined the Paycheck Protection Program just before it ran out of money. Now they’re ready and waiting for Congress to reload funds that could be better aimed at the smallest companies.