Q2 Mortgage Banking Profits surge, during the second quarter of 2012

Mortgage bankers saw their profits surge during the second quarter of 2012, increasing from $1,654 on each loan originated in the first quarter of the year to $2,152. 

Successful's steps boost credit rating of your business

Many small businesses owners rely on their personal credit to secure funding for their work. But savvy owners know that personal credit is just a starting point: Those who work diligently to get and strengthen a commercial credit score put themselves in a better position to secure more credit, lower interest rates and better loan terms.

Credit card completely satisfy users

Americans are happier with their credit cards than they've ever been over the past six years. That's according to the latest J.D. Power and Associates study of consumer satisfaction among credit card customers, released to the general public this month.

Irish Bank finished the six months with losses

Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Limited (IBRC) has reported its interim financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2012.

IBRC reported a biannual operating profit of €359m (not accounting for disposals and provisions), and a loss for the six months of €724m.

Free new offer for restaurants from LevelUp

Boston technology company SCVNGR announced a new pricing plan for merchants using its LevelUp platform that brings the cost of credit card processing to zero. In a statement to reporters, SCVNGR spokesman Seth Priebatsch compared the shift to the decision Google made to charge nothing for use of its search engine. (Google is a strategic investor in SCVNGR.)

Surveys show that customers do not need extra credit cards

Nearly two in three Americans say they would stop using their credit cards if retailers start tacking on extra fees for paying with plastic.

The scientific survey found that 65 percent of Americans who use credit cards would pay another way if any fee was charged, no matter how small.

MasterCard PayPass for food and beverage

For the second year in a row, payment platform companies used European music festivals as proving grounds for contactless credit card technology. Last year, Isle of Wight Festival organizers encouraged VIP ticketholders to pay for food and drink with wristbands linked to prepaid debit card accounts. This year, the festival issued wristbands to over 10,000 concertgoers.

Bank of America changes in financial tactics

Hold this truth to be self-evident: If in the late ’70s, FM acts Styx, Kansas, and Foreigner decided to form an arena supergroup, complete with a panoply of lasers and dueling keyboardists, they’d have sold out world tours well into Iran-Contra. Try pulling off the same thing today, however, and SKF & Co. would barely fill the auditorium at Staten Island High.

A small increase Mortgage Rate

Mortgage Rates began in higher territory this morning, though some lenders released improved rate sheets in the afternoon.  On average, rates are still slightly worse than yesterday, falling more in line with Tuesday's offerings.  The Best-Execution rates for 30yr Fixed, Conventional loans is still in a state of flux between 3.5% and 3.625%, having only recently moved up that middle ground after several weeks at 3.5%.

Credit card interest rates stand still

The national average annual percentage rate (APR) on new card offers remained at 14.97 percent Wednesday.

None of the cards that CreditCards.com tracks featured offer changes this week. That includes changes to promotional balance transfer offers and short-term promotional APRs.

Interest rates unchanged at 3.5%, says report Reserve Bank of Australia

The Reserve Bank of Australia has announced that it is leaving interest rates unchanged at 3.5%.

In a statement Governor Glenn Stevens said that growth in the global economy had softened, following a more promising start to the year.

American Express does not participate in the Google Wallet

American Express has not formally agreed to participate in Google Wallet, which is why it was surprised yesterday when Google said it, along with Visa, Discover and MasterCard, were now forms of payment in Google’s mobile payments application.

Credit card for college-bound students choices variants

Along with shopping for a mini fridge and extra-long twin sheets for your college-bound kid, have you stopped to think about what type of plastic to send along with your child for emergency expenses?

Groupon plans the credit card processing service

Groupon plans to dive into the small-business credit card processing business with a mobile reader similar to those from Square and PayPal, according to news reports. Bloomberg's Douglas MacMillan reports that a company known for producing credit card readers for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch has been testing Groupon's prototype device at independent retailers in the San Francisco Bay Area.