wall street banks

The U.S. Senate approved two amendments to the sweeping financial reform bill Thursday that seek to curb conflicts of interest between ratings agencies and Wall Street banks.

The biggest Wall Street banks slashed their small business loan portfolios by 9% between 2008 and 2009, more than double the rate at which they cut their overall lending, according to a government report released Thursday.

Just as European finance ministers were meeting on a bailout for Greece, questions surfaced on whether the Greek government used derivative contracts concocted by Wall Street banks to hide the country's budget problems.

Europe correspondent Stephen Beard talks the details with Bob Moon.

Goldman Sachs reports earnings on Thursday, and some are reporting the bonus pool at the investment bank will be around $23 billion.

Whatever the number, Wall Street banks will likely have to up their ante to compete. Jeremy Hobson reports.

Taxpayers are bailing out huge Wall Street banks because their collapse would spell doom for the financial system.

But commentator Robert Reich thinks it's odd to also allow those companies to consolidate and get even bigger.

Many Wall Street banks and financial services moved parts of their operations across the Hudson River, earning Jersey City the name "Wall Street West." Sally Herships learns that might not be such a good thing now.