A sharp increase in the share price and a series of analysts's upgrades testified to the market's verdict that First Financial Bancorp got a great deal with its FDIC-assisted acquisition of banking operations from Indiana's Irwin Financial Corp.

Higher capital requirements on the U.S. banking industry could have less of an impact on bank lending than has been widely expected, according to a new study from Pew's Financial Reform Project.

The headline unemployment rate rose to 9.8 percent in September as nonfarm payroll unemployment fell a greater-than-expected 263,000, with construction among the hardest hit sectors.

Titleserv National, a provider of title insurance, appraisal, and settlement services, has announced the formation of Titleserv National Default Services, specializing in loss mitigation.

Hoping to curb record-high foreclosure rates across the country and further stabilize housing markets, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) introduced new legislation Wednesday aimed at keeping more families in their homes and protecting communities against the deterioration brought on by still-skyrocketing mortgage defaults.

Three major employers in Maryland's Prince George's County are helping their workers buy homes as a way to stabilize neighborhoods in a county that has 3,100 foreclosed properties.

First American CoreLogic, a member of The First American Corporation family of companies headquartered in Santa Ana, California, is now guaranteeing that its newly patented mortgage fraud technology will uncover at least twice as much fraud as competitor's systems, and save clients twice the cost of its solution, or the fees for the trial test period will be reimbursed.

Two influential senators are seeking federal funding for prosecutors to combat the growing number of scams and frauds in connection with refinancings and foreclosures.

Anticipated home sales have increased for seven straight months, the longest upward run since the National Association of Realtors (NAR) began its pending sales index series back in 2001, and now at its highest level since March 2007.

CIT Group plans to present a new debt-exchange plan to bondholders in a last-ditch effort to avoid filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.