Bloomberg Spain’s largest banks soared in Madrid trading after the Supreme Court said they aren’t liable for mortgage stamp duty payments that could have imposed billions of euros in extra costs. The court reversed an earlier ruling that lenders should pay the tax, which had typically been passed on to customers, sparking fury across the Spanish political spectrum and prompting …

Bloomberg Credit Agricole SA’s corporate banking and financing operations helped boost earnings at its investment bank for a second straight quarter, driving up the division’s revenue 5 percent. Analysts and investors will probably focus on the quality of the earnings and key metrics including bank’s improved financial strength and efforts on cost after net income and revenue came in near …

Bloomberg JPMorgan Chase & Co. has been pulling back from some higher-risk pockets of the consumer credit market, concerned about how those types of borrowers will hold up in an economic downturn. The bank has been avoiding subprime auto finance and cut back on long-duration car loans, according to Gordon Smith, chief executive officer of JPMorgan’s consumer-banking unit. The company …