Consumer banking
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's employee ratings show the same sorts of racial patterns that it has castigated bankers for permitting in the loan market. American Banker staffers discuss what may be behind the numbers and what they may mean for bankers and policymakers.
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Federal regulators are shining an increasingly harsh light on the debt collections practices of banks and third-party agencies, forcing many to drastically alter the ways in which they interact with delinquent consumers. American Banker outlines the changes underway and how they may trickle down to collections efforts around the nation.
March 3 -
The country's biggest bank has called a halt to its branch-expansion strategy of a year ago. Instead, JPMorgan Chase this week said it would start building smaller, cheaper branches with fewer tellers and more technology, as well as more offices for financial planners to meet with its wealthiest clients. American Banker editors discuss JPMorgan's new branch strategy and what it could signal for other banks.
February 26
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Big banks survived the financial crisis, but their ability to attract top young talent may not. That's the argument of Kevin Roose, author of the book "Young Money," which chronicles three years in the lives of eight young, and increasingly disenchanted, investment bank employees. Roose discusses why some of the junior bankers he shadowed have left finance; what banks can -- and can't -- do to change their cultures; and how the industry's efforts to promote diversity are still falling short.
February 24 -
Critics have complained recently that bank regulators and the Justice Department have been overstepping their legal authority and acting like moral police. American Banker staffers discuss what's behind the charges and whether they stand up to scrutiny.
February 21 -
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's crackdown on mortgage servicers' operations will increase the pressure on lenders to improve their processes, paperwork and communications with borrowers. American Banker journalists discuss how both banks and nonbank servicers can get ahead of the new regulatory scrutiny.
February 20 -
Community banks are facing mounting competition from bigger companies, regulators and consulting firms as they try to staff up in their compliance departments. American Banker editors discuss how small banks can compete for the best compliance personnel and what they should be looking for in potential new hires.
February 14 -
Banks have shied away from private student loans, both because of the need for scale in this business and intense scrutiny from regulators including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. But these loans are performing much better than federally guaranteed student loans, says Dan Feshbach, Chief Executive of data company MeasureOne.
February 12 -
Former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau boss Raj Date is lining up a seasoned team of banking executives to try to revive the subprime credit card market. For the banks his firm is seeking to partner with, the question is whether the potential profits justify the risks. American Banker staffers discuss.
February 10 -
The Federal Housing Administration's long-awaited decision to start accepting electronic signatures on mortgage documents will cut down on costs and streamline operations for banks and other mortgage lenders. But the industry still faces several hurdles before it can reap the benefits of this technology upgrade.
January 31
