News on Banks, Regulation, Finance in the U.S.

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke (Image: Bloomberg News)

Bernanke Sharpens Focus on Interest Rate Risk

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke told lawmakers that his concerns about financial stability risks from historically low interest rates have "increased a bit."

Regulation & Reform

Risk Management

Breaking News

Sales Edge Up as More Homes Come Onto the Market 05:31PM ET

Flagstar Said to Weigh Sale of Mortgage-Servicing Rights 04:14PM ET

eBay Says PayPal on Track to Reach 2 Million Stores in 2013 02:40PM ET

Text-to-Donate Payments Mobilize for Oklahoma Tornado Recovery 02:19PM ET

Bank Capital at Risk When Bond Gains Evaporate, Fitch Says 01:26PM ET

Jury Denies Vernon Hill $17M of Back Pay from TD 12:07PM ET

Activist Investor Wins Board Seat at HopFed in Kentucky 12:04PM ET

Popular's Carrion to Step Down as CEO If Elected Olympics Head 10:01AM ET

BNY Mellon Boosting Wealth Unit Sales Team 50% in Revenue Push 06:15AM ET

See all Breaking News

Bankers Hiring Hagglers to Negotiate IT Contracts

A growing number of community banks are hiring consultants to negotiate core processing and IT-service contracts, which are typically among a bank's biggest expenses.

Community Banking

Technology

Clifford Rossi

Guess What? Basel III Oversimplifies
Karen Shaw Petrou

To End Big-Bank Subsidies, Fix the FDIC’s ‘Off' Switch
David Fiderer

GSE Critics Ignore Loan Performance
Eric Lindeen

Want Tellers to Cross-Sell? Help Them Make a Quality Offer
Kevin Villani

Don’t Be Fooled by GSEs’ Record Profits
Alex J. Pollock

By Jim Bullard's Logic, It's Time to Break Up the Fed

Consumer Finance

The GSEs provide an important government 'backstop,' though they should not hold mortgages in portfolio, Wells Chairman and CEO John Stumpf says. (Image: Bloomberg News)

Fannie, Freddie Should Play a Role in Housing's Future: Stumpf

Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf said that he believes the government-sponsored enterprises need to be retained in some form because the guarantee they provide is important to investors.

BankThink

Google Presents Biggest Threat to Banking

The tech company's new services represent a virtual slap in the face for the likes of banks and PayPal. If added to Google Glass, they potentially represent a knockout punch, writes Michael Nuciforo.

People

Even Angry Bank Shareholders Gotta Eat

Ron Swanner, the head of South Street Financial, had talking points for every query at a tense annual meeting this week — except for, "where's the dessert?"

Mergers & Acquisitions

Hot Stock Market Could Spur More Bank IPOs

Smaller banks may decide now is a good time to go public and raise capital for acquisitions and other growth opportunities.

Why Chip-and-PIN Technology Is Not a Fraud Cure-All

Observers have suggested that if EMV or chip-and-PIN cards were required throughout the U.S., a recent $45 million fraud that involved some U.S. ATMs would have been prevented. A closer look at the incident suggests this may not be so.

Technology

Risk Management