Americas First Federal Credit Union opens Gardendale branch According to filings with the National Credit Union Association, total assets at Alabama s credit unions have risen more than 11 percent over last year and by 4.2 percent between March and June 2008...

Governments around the world have slashed interest rates and ramped up their lending to unprecendented levels, but banks are still charging each other extremely high borrowing rates -- a bad sign for the credit markets that remain close to paralysis.

Credit card stocks fluctuated in a volatile trading session Friday, as investors weighed a number of potential government initiatives to help free up lending and stabilize the economy.