Polo Rocha is a Washington D.C.-based reporter who covers consumer finance and national banking trends. He previously covered the Federal Reserve at S&P Global Market Intelligence and state politics at WisPolitics.com. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has a master's in finance degree from Johns Hopkins University.
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The declining credit quality included more borrowers with higher credit scores falling behind on their credit card payments. But executives said the increase remains within expectations as it continues seeing "very linear normalization" in credit.
By Polo RochaJanuary 23 -
Goldman Sachs provided more details on its pullback from its once-grand ambitions to expand into consumer finance. Though parts of that strategy will remain, the New York bank will halt its personal loan business and postpone offering a checking account for its wealth management customers.
By Polo RochaJanuary 17 -
Rohit Chopra, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, said the bank is "not making rapid progress" and hinted at the possibility of additional restrictions. But analysts saw positives for Wells in the $3.7 billion consent order.
By Polo RochaDecember 20 -
In an appeals court filing, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wrote that a federal judge "ignored regulatory text, history and context" when she ruled against a PNC customer. The consumer argues that the bank shouldn't have pulled funds from his checking account after he was tardy in making payments on his home equity line of credit.
By Polo RochaDecember 4 -
Both Canadian banks are awaiting green lights from regulators for their pending acquisitions of U.S. banks. "We don't control the timing of all the regulatory approvals," TD's chief executive said Thursday.
By Polo RochaDecember 1 -
A ballot initiative that places additional restrictions on debt collectors and decreases the interest rates that can be charged on medical debt passed Tuesday by an overwhelming margin. Consumer advocates say it will ease the burden on households dealing with hardship, but industry groups contend that it will make credit more expensive.
By Polo RochaNovember 10 -
Executives from PNC, Regions and M&T are expressing confidence that their loan books can withstand a recession. "We don't see crisis-type things in front of us right now," said PNC Chief Financial Officer Robert Reilly.
By Polo RochaNovember 3 -
The settlement with an insurer over Countrywide's mortgage-backed securities closes another chapter on what quickly proved to be an ill-advised acquisition for Bank of America. A trial on the case had kicked off last month.
By Polo RochaOctober 7 -
TD Bank, the U.S. unit of the Canadian bank, has hired Christopher Fred as its new head of U.S. credit cards and unsecured lending. The bank's retail partners include Target and Nordstrom.
By Polo RochaOctober 3 -
The Cincinnati bank's new division will lend to nonbanks that make or bundle together residential mortgage loans, whose businesses have slowed as higher interest rates lower appetite for refinancing. The warehouse sector has seen "fierce competition" among banks lately, one analyst wrote.
By Polo RochaSeptember 20