Commercial banking

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.

The baseline scenario used by many banks is for low-single-digit growth in GDP and an unemployment rate of around 4% next year. Some Wall Street analysts are wondering whether those assumptions, which banks use to calculate their loan-loss reserves, are too rosy.

The transaction, which would have created the country's largest custody bank, was derailed after regulators demanded certain changes. The seller said that it has no plans to find a new buyer for its investor services business.

The three megabanks will see their surcharges rise by 50 basis points, according to a new analysis of regulatory data. The Federal Reserve assesses the levies as a way to compensate for the impact that the collapse of a global systemically important bank would have on the financial system.

Entrepreneurs often call fees a drawback of their current financial institution, according to research from Arizent. Banks should focus on developing long-term relationships with these customers, rather than charging for every service, experts say.

Wall Street reporting has left Main Street behind and you, dear banker, should be concerned. A new book, "The Future of Business Journalism," explains why.

The case involved a customer who was charged $100,000 in legal fees when he tried to pay off a commercial mortgage early. After the borrower waged a nearly decadelong legal fight, a Florida court ordered the bank to reimburse a portion of the fees.