Student loan companies in settlement talks (AP via Yahoo! Finance)

The attorney general of New York is negotiating settlements with eight student loan companies to reform deceptive practices in the industry. A particular focus is the marketing of products so they appear to be federal loans, an official said Friday.

Rangel Got Interest-Free Loan on Dominican Villa (Update2) (Bloomberg.com)

Sept. 5 (Bloomberg) -- New York Representative Charles Rangel received an interest-free loan from the developer of his Dominican Republic vacation villa, a resort official said.

New York Plans to Sue Student Loan Company (New York Times)

The attorney general of New York is preparing a lawsuit against a student loan company, Goal Financial , charging that the lender broke state and federal laws by luring borrowers with iPods, cash and other gifts and that it misled consumers about loan terms and benefits, The New York Times’s Jonathan D. Glater reported, citing a senior official in the office.

Ford: Loan guarantees would speed new technologies (AP via Yahoo! Finance)

Ford Motor Co. will keep investing in new fuel-saving technology even if it doesn't get any government loan guarantees, but the loans will help the automaker get the technology to market more quickly, Executive Chairman Bill Ford said Friday.

Inland Real Estate closes $140M term loan (AP via Yahoo! Finance)

Inland Real Estate Corp. said Friday that it has received a $140 million loan to help the company reduce the balance on its existing unsecured line of credit and retire remaining 2008 secured maturities.