Auto lending

The CFPB policy was aimed at preventing discriminatory markups on indirect loans made by car dealers, but current acting CFPB Director Mick Mulvaney said the guidance "seemed like a solution in search of a problem."

While reform legislation for banks is just around the corner, market signals suggest the economy could be headed toward another downturn.

The post-recession boom in auto loans and credit cards for borrowers with marred credit histories has been winding down in recent months.

JPMorgan and Santander show off their uses for the technology; commercial and industrial loans outstanding are rising.

The New York-based firm said it now reaches 4.3 million members, a 58 percent increase over the previous year.

Ryan, McConnell say they have a deal on a bipartisan Dodd-Frank rollback; New York won more than $5 billion in settlements from big banks under the former AG.

Bill supporters say the guidance — which held indirect auto lenders liable for unintentional discrimination at partner dealerships — violated Dodd-Frank, but consumer advocates say the legislation would expose minority borrowers to mistreatment.

Auto lenders would be well advised to keep up their guard as states — particularly blue ones — take steps of their own to crack down on what they see as abusive practices.

Readers applaud acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Mick Mulvaney’s cost-cutting ideas, slam recent calls for postal banking, opine on banks limiting their business with firearms dealers and more.

The agency’s 2013 guidance is frequently portrayed as either an overdue push to stamp out lending discrimination or a case study in regulatory overreach. In truth, its impact was minimal.