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Overdraft fees, long associated with big banks, are big business for credit unions too

Dec 28, 2023
A first-of-its-kind California law shows how much credit unions receive in overdraft charges, which often burden low-income families.
A San Diego County Credit Union branch in Escondido, California. The credit union collected $18 million in overdraft fees in 2022.
Scott Rodd

Big banks post big profits

Oct 13, 2023
The classic way banks make money rests on three words: net interest income.
Big banks JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Citigroup told investors they netted a combined $22 billion this past quarter.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Fourth-quarter reports show some big banks are saving for a recession

Jan 13, 2023
In the face of high inflation, rising interest rates and a slowing global economy, banks are setting aside reserves — just in case.
Bank of America told investors Friday that it generated a 2% profit bump last quarter. Many big banks have been squirreling away cash to prepare for an economic downturn.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Why big banks are "canaries in the economic coal mine"

Jan 9, 2023
On Friday, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase will post earning reports. Parts of their business struggled in the fourth quarter.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Wall Street widened the racial wealth gap. Can big banks help bridge it?

Oct 25, 2022
In her new book, journalist Emily Flitter looks at how Wall Street giants have kept Black Americans out of the financial industry.
The JPMorgan Chase headquarters building in New York. Many major Wall Street firms pledged to support economic equality for Black Americans after the killing of George Floyd in 2020.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Can Britain's power lunch power back this summer?

May 24, 2021
The City of London, the U.K. equivalent of Wall Street, is preparing for tens of thousands of executives to filter back in.
Workers line up for a restaurant in the City of London after lockdown rules  eased, and with many companies welcoming limited numbers of their staff back to the office
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Big banks' profits are doing better than the economy

Jan 15, 2021
They've been raking in money thanks to the strong stock market, companies' appetite for debt and initial public offerings.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

More optimistic about the recovery, big banks trim the reserves they set aside to cover bad loans

Oct 14, 2020
But if we're in for a double-dip recession, they'll need to set aside billions more than they currently have on hand.
Big banks, like JPMorgan Chase, are feeling more confident about the economic recovery after solid third quarter earnings.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Why big banks are reporting better-than-expected earnings during the pandemic downturn

Oct 14, 2020
Quarterly earnings for big banks like Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase are beating expectations thanks to a soaring stock market.
Citigroup's net income of $3.2 billion, or $1.40 per share, topped analyst expectations for the third quarter.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Banks set aside billions, expecting big consumer loan defaults

Jul 15, 2020
At the end of the first quarter of this year, U.S. consumers were a record $14.3 trillion in debt.
A view of the "Fearless Girl" statue on Wall Street. Americans' indebtedness is affecting banks' balance sheets.
Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images