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FHA Goes Bust

The Federal Housing Administration said Friday it will hike insurance premiums, accelerate short sales and aggressively sell off defaulted loans to plug a $16.3 billion shortfall in its capital reserves.
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CFPB's No. 2 Moving Out

News that Raj Date, the No. 2 at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, intends to resign early next year sparked anxiety among bankers still skeptical of the fledgling agency. The former banker is one of the few concrete ties the industry has to the CFPB.

(Image: Bloomberg News)

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Can Congress Extend TAG

It's coming down to the wire for community bankers hoping the government will extend the FDIC's coverage of no-interest checking accounts, which expires at yearend. A separate bill is unlikely, but here's four ways an extension could happen.

(Image: Bloomberg News)

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Regulators Hammered Over Basel III

Regulators were in the hot seat last week as Senate Banking Committee members sought assurances community banks would not be hurt by the proposed Basel III capital and liquidity rules.

(Image: Bloomberg News)

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Bank Execs Offer Advice for Geithner Successor

Two leading bank CEOs opined last week on what they hope Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's successor will do. Chief on the list: managing the proliferation of international regulations, said U.S. Bancorp. CEO Richard Davis.

(Image: Bloomberg News)

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Clearing House War Games Megabank Failure

The Clearing House Association conducted a secret "war game" two weeks ago designed to test whether Dodd-Frank would successfully allow regulators to seize and unwind a megabank. Guess what? It worked.
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FSOC Acts on MMF Reform

The Financial Stability Oversight Council voted to release three proposals to reform the money market mutual fund industry after the SEC was blocked from releasing its own plan.

(Image: Bloomberg News)

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Fed Details Stress Test Scenarios

Just what is a "severely adverse" scenario for the upcoming stress tests? Try 12% unemployment and a GDP decline of 5%. It may be unlikely, but banks have to be prepared to face it.

(Image: Bloomberg News)

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Bernanke: Housing Market Still Struggling

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said the housing market is "far from being out of the woods," despite initial signs pointing to a recovery.

(Image: Bloomberg News)

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House Banking Panel Loses 1/5 of Its Members

The House Financial Services Committee is poised for a major facelift next year, losing 20% of its 61-seat membership.
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