Consumers are increasingly late paying off loans on their primary home, as the highest unemployment in a quarter of a century pushes up delinquency rates on most types of loans.

A combination of falling revenues, high debt and tougher lending standards by banks has pushed up dependence on alternative lenders in the UK.

The best mortgage rates are not necessarily offered by the big volume players or the bank where you currently do your checking. Instead, they can often be found at smaller banks and credit unions.

Bank of America on Tuesday pledged not to hike credit card interest rates or fees before a new law intended to reform industry practices takes effect in February.

Consumers will end up paying more money to banks if the numerous regulations proposed for the financial sector come to fruition, said Dick Bove, financial strategist for Rochdale Securities.

Banks and credit unions have long pitched debit cards as a convenient and prudent way to buy. But a growing number are now allowing consumers to exceed their balances — for a price.

The man accused of masterminding the largest identity theft in U.S. history agreed to plead guilty to related charges, according to court papers filed in Boston federal court Friday.

The rate at which credit card holders fell behind on their payments was far worse in the second quarter than it was last year, but did improve sharply from the alarming level seen in the first three months of 2009.

Bank of America said that as of Thursday it will stop requiring that disputes with its credit card holders and banking and lending customers be settled by binding arbitration, opening the door for class-action and other lawsuits to push up the bank's legal costs.

The noxious penalty imposed on American Express and Discover consumers who exceeded their spending limit has finally died, quashed by legislation signed in May by President Obama to ease onerous fees for cardholders.

The Federal Reserve says consumers paid down their credit cards and reduced other debt in June for the fifth straight month as they rebuild savings battered by the recession.

Stocks rallied Thursday, logging the highest close since November, despite a late-afternoon pullback.

Stocks rallied Thursday as investors were encouraged by the latest jobless report and round of corporate earnings.

Stocks rallied Thursday as investors were encouraged by the latest jobless report and round of corporate earnings.

Futures indicated a higher open for Wall Street on Thursday as investors were encouraged by the latest jobless report and round of corporate earnings.