1Q '11 Bank Earnings

More than two years past the meltdown, most big banks are out of Tarp and in with the Federal Reserve. But what about earnings? Brace yourself, cause banks are unlikely to get free passes with their first-quarter financial results, and the numbers may be none too pretty. Tepid lending and higher regulatory costs still threaten revenue streams. Protecting net interest margins and repeating last year's mortgage gains will be tough. Amid this, investors want better returns and could press for more M&A to separate the strong from the weak.

Foreclosures

The housing crisis has taken on new urgency after several large servicers — including Ally Financial Inc.'s GMAC Mortgage, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Bank of America Corp. — admitted cutting corners in the execution of documents and that their processes now needed review, delaying some foreclosures. With numerous attorneys general and state and federal lawmakers calling for a more thorough investigation and swift corrective action, the reverberations of the latest housing scandal will be felt for a long time. American Banker has been closely tracking the story as it unfolds, analyzing all the ways it could play out.

Bank Failures

Even as most analysts agree the banking system is on the road to recovery, the number of bank failures continues to mount. Nearly every Friday, the FDIC is appointed receiver of at least a few more community banks. Still, there are signs the number of collapses may be peaking, and FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair has predicted failures will drop off toward the end of the year.

Review '10 / Preview '11

As 2011 begins, many of the key issues in banking remain unresolved. To what extent will the newly empowered Republicans be able to roll back Dodd-Frank or influence rule writing? Will Washington finally tackle the thorny problem of the GSEs? And just how aggressive will Elizabeth Warren and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau be? Basel III is a wild card. With a flurry of late-2010 deals, M&A activity seems set to perk up, particularly on the community-bank level. Mortgage servicers have their hands full trying to beat back their critics. Consumer-finance product visionaries are back to the drawing board. Which technological advances will change the industry and its interaction with customers? American Banker considers these questions and more.

Decision 2010: The Republican Factor

The Republicans' sweeping gains in Tuesday's elections have broad implications for everything from the GSEs' future to potential changes to the recently enacted regulatory reform law. Here are some of American Banker's recent stories looking at the implications of the win and profiling top Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee.

Regulatory Restructuring

President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Act into law on July 21, 2010. Although passing the law took more than a year or rigorous debate, the hard part has just started. Regulators are beginning the task of implementing the law's provisions, a process that will take years. Following is some of American Banker's critical coverage in this area.

Alternative Payments

Payments executives, technology vendors and merchants are developing and testing systems that let people make purchases electronically without credit or debit cards. Retailers say making it easier to spend money could attract more customers. But many of these methods have the potential to eat into banks' interchange revenue, which is making financial companies uncomfortable.

The Pursuit of the Underbanked

Underbanked consumers remain a coveted market — one that is poised to expand in the recession. Wal-Mart and H&R Block have signed up millions of these people for their prepaid cards. Meanwhile, some bankers are encouraging their brethren to enter the remittance market, despite the global slowdown in money transfers. Following is a selection of recent coverage of key developments.

GSEs

Although Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were seized by the government nearly two years ago, the Obama administration has yet to put forward a plan with how to return the companies to the private sector. With the regulatory reform debate over, many expect the fight over the future of the government-sponsored enterprises to ramp up. Following are a collection of articles on policy issues surrounding the government-sponsored enterprises.