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Citigroup Inc said it has appointed three new directors and installed a new chief to oversee its retail banking unit, addressing criticism that it lacks enough leaders with commercial banking experience.

Wells Fargo & Co and other major U.S. banks said the troubled economy drove big increases in loan losses, reducing second-quarter earnings.

U.S. Banks confront losses, Morgan Stanley's Woes, Big Pharma Beats Expectations

Japan hinted on Wednesday it might do more to ease credit and Britain awaits more data before doing the same, while disappointing earnings from Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo tempered optimism Wall Street can extend its recent rally.

Wells Fargo said on Wednesday the loan losses increased in the second quarter as borrowers battled to keep their payments up to date. The bank dropped as much as 7.6 percent in New York trading.

Stocks seesawed on Wednesday as disappointing quarterly results from top banks sparked caution over the health of financials, though sentiment rose after a robust earnings report from Apple Inc .

Wells Fargo & Co on Wednesday said quarterly profit increased 47 percent as strong mortgage banking results and the acquisition of Wachovia Corp offset rising credit losses.

U.S. oilfield services company BJ Services Co (BJS.N) reported a quarterly net loss on Tuesday as oil and gas producers ratcheted back activity in response to weaker oil and gas prices.

Several Wall Street analysts on Monday gave a mixed 2009 outlook for Citigroup Inc (C.N) and Bank of America Corp (BAC.N), after the U.S. banks on Friday reported a surge in second-quarter loan losses despite posting profits for the period.

Bank of America Corp and Citigroup Inc raised huge red flags on Friday with quarterly results that suggested the U.S. consumer remains sorely injured as the global recession drags on.

Many of CIT Group Inc's businesses, including trade and transportation finance, could be of interest to potential buyers as the commercial lender stares at the possibility of bankruptcy.

U.S. home builder sentiment in July jumped to its highest level since September as improved sales conditions boosted confidence in the market for new single-family homes, an industry group said on Thursday.

The biggest U.S. banks, including Wells Fargo & Co. and Bank of America Corp., JP Morgan Chase and Citibank announced plans to stop exchanging the registered warrants for cash after Friday.

California IOU recipients can turn to credit unions and check-cashing storefronts if a state budget deal does not appear by Friday and if three major banks refuse to accepting the notes beyond Friday as planned, analysts said on Tuesday.

Wells Fargo & Co will announce an expansion in its securities business, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website.

U.S. home-builder sentiment slipped in June, a private survey showed on Monday, as higher mortgage rates and an ongoing credit crunch dampened expectations for the sector.

U.S. homebuilder sentiment slipped in June, a private survey showed on Monday, as higher mortgage rates and an ongoing credit crunch damped expectations for the sector.

KKR Financial Holdings LLC, a debt fund managed by private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co, said a debtholder swapped $3 million of convertible notes for 1.18 million shares in the company.

Target Corp shareholders reelected its four incumbent directors, the retailer said on Thursday, dealing a defeat to activist investor William Ackman, who launched a heated proxy contest seeking five seats on its board.

American Express said Tuesday it would cut about 4,000 jobs, or 6 percent of its worldwide workforce, along with other reductions in spending, as the company said it was taking a “cautious outlook” as the economy moves toward a recovery.

American Express said Tuesday it would cut about 4,000 jobs, or 6 percent of its worldwide workforce, along with other reductions in spending, as the company said it was taking a “cautious outlook” as the economy moves toward a recovery.

American Express Co , the credit card and travel services company, on Monday said it plans to eliminate 4,000 jobs, or 6 percent of its workforce, as the weakened economy causes higher customer defaults.

U.S. homebuilder sentiment jumped to its highest level in eight months in May, a private survey showed on Monday, supporting views that the three-year housing slump might be close to an end.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc said on Friday it had modestly raised its stakes in Wells Fargo and US Bancorp , two banks whose market values have fallen dramatically.

Deletes reference in paragraph 12 to having sold out of positions in Ingersoll Rand and Iron Mountain

Wells Fargo & Co., whose chief executive previously said the bank did not need or want a $25 billion infusion from the government last year, said on Thursday it is set to make its next quarterly dividend payable to the U.S. Treasury on Friday.

Wachovia Capital Markets upgraded Johnson Controls Inc to outperform, saying the auto parts maker was well positioned to generate strong earnings growth in 2010 and beyond.

A day after saying big U.S. banks probably needed to raise only one-fourth the capital demanded by the government, Standard & Poor's said the nation's banking crisis has merely entered a new phase and might not end before 2013.

The Federal Reserve reduced the size of capital deficits facing several banks before releasing the results of stress tests on the financial institutions, according to a story in the Wall Street Journal on Saturday.