Steven Sloan

With just three days remaining in his term, the Senate voted 70 to 30 on Thursday to give Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke another four years at the helm of the central bank.

As part of its continuing effort to return to normal operations, the Federal Reserve's policymaking committee said Wednesday that the central bank will hold a final cash auction on March 8.

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has scheduled a vote for Thursday that would clear the path to a second term for Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke.

WASHINGTON – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has scheduled a vote for Thursday that would clear the path to a second term for Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke.

The White House proposal does not go as far as the 1933 law that separated commercial and investment banking — it would still allow banks to underwrite securities, among other things — but observers said it is strongly headed in that direction.

The fate of several financial services priorities, including proposed restrictions on large banks and the creation of a consumer protection agency, could receive a boost or lose steam depending on how much attention the president gives them.

WASHINGTON — With his term set to expire Jan. 31, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke's future was unclear on Friday as Senate Democratic leaders scrambled to save his nomination.

With his term set to expire Jan. 31, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke's future was unclear on Friday as Senate Democratic leaders scrambled to save his nomination.

The government-sponsored enterprises are being hit hard by a rule released last summer by the Financial Accounting Standards Board requiring companies to bring securitizations onto their balance sheets.

The government-sponsored enterprises are being hit hard by a rule released last summer by the Financial Accounting Standards Board requiring companies to bring securitizations onto their balance sheets.

Ben Bernanke's bid for another term as Federal Reserve Board chairman took another hit Friday as Sen. Barbara Boxer said she would oppose his confirmation.

As lawmakers return to Capitol Hill, a top Federal Reserve official is once again making the case for preserving and expanding the central bank's oversight of the financial system.

TV host Jon Stewart takes big banks to task on precrisis bonus payments; former Wachovia director joins U.S. Bancorp; ICBA chief starts community banking blog.

The Basel Committee is accepting comment through April 16 on a proposal that would, among other things, restrict an institution's ability to pay dividends, force it to raise more common equity and broaden the leverage ratio to include off-balance-sheet assets.

The Basel Committee is accepting comment through April 16 on a proposal that would, among other things, restrict an institution's ability to pay dividends, force it to raise more common equity and broaden the leverage ratio to include off-balance-sheet assets.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency would have 30 days to appoint an inspector general under bipartisan legislation introduced Thursday.

WASHINGTON — One day after hearing from chief executives of the largest institutions, the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission turned its attention Thursday to policymakers, and how the government can fix the lapses that worsened the financial meltdown.

The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission's first public hearing on Wednesday gave the industry's top leaders an opportunity to express remorse for their role in the collapse of the financial markets but did little to enhance the public's understanding of the meltdown.

Richard Fisher, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, warned Congress Tuesday against supporting proposals that would open central bank policymaking to greater scrutiny and political pressure.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee planned to issue a subpoena to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Tuesday demanding documents about payments the collapsed insurance giant American International Group Inc. made to its counterparties.