Law and regulation

The Federal Reserve announced an indefinite round of quantitative easing in hopes of improving the stagnant economy. Some feel the move may help the lagging job market, while others feel it illustrates Einstein's definition of insanity.

Friends of Traditional Banking, a SuperPAC founded by state banking groups last spring, has voted to support Republican Sens. Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Dean Heller of Nevada.

The agency said Wednesday that it recouped roughly $149 million from selling preferred stock in Alpine Banks of Colorado in Glenwood Springs; Yadkin Valley Financial (YAVY) in Elkin, N.C.; First Community Financial Partners (FCMP) in Joliet, Ill.; F&M Financial in Clarksville, Tenn.; and F & M Financial in Salisbury, N.C.

You can't write or say anything about Dodd-Frank these days without being accused of taking sides.

The Federal Reserve Board has entered into separate written agreements with Doral Financial (DRL) and State Bank of Geneva.

You can't write or say anything about Dodd-Frank these days without being accused of taking sides.

In remarks planned for American Banker's Regulatory Symposium, the potential candidate for House Financial Services chairman holds little back in criticizing the central bank.

Prepared remarks from Rep. Scott Garrett, R-N.J., who is delivering the opening keynote address at American Banker's Regulatory Symposium in Washington today.

Continued monetary easing by the Fed would further squeeze margins, encourage undue risk-taking, and spark prepayments in bond portfolios without juicing loan demand, community bankers warn.

The Santa Rosa, Calif., thrift is the latest lender to be targeted by the Justice Department for allegedly discriminating against minorities.

If housing continues to show signs of stabilization, it is possible that the FHA's mortgage insurance fund will not require a bailout. The agency's been smart lately, but also lucky.

Former FDIC chairman William Isaac and former Wells Fargo CEO Richard Kovacevich argue that had Dodd-Frank been in place before the mortgage crisis, the legislation would not have prevented it. What was really at lacking, they said in a CNBC interview, was regulatory leadership.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, a candidate to assume control of the House Financial Services Committee next year, sharply criticized the Dodd-Frank Act, saying it had severely damaged financial institutions.

A bill that could move quickly in the Senate would subject independent agencies like the FDIC and CFPB to more scrutiny from the president's staff.

The courts' indecision as to whether whistle-blowers who report wrongdoing internally are protected by Dodd-Frank sends one clear message: Come forward at your own risk.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. warned banks under its watch Wednesday about the risks of acquiring participations in loans while relying too heavily on originating institutions for the underwriting.

The FDIC highlighted continued use of "alternative financial services" in its second-ever survey reporting the share of households that are unbanked or underbanked.

Regulators have a legitimate interest in overseeing activities that threaten a bank. But they should lay off bank affiliates and activities that pose no such threats.

Zions Bancorp. (ZION) is hopeful that it will exit the Troubled Asset Relief Program in late September or early in the fourth quarter.

"No financial institution's collapse could sink our economy"? Funny. "To accord nonbanks parity with banks, just regulate nonbanks more strictly"? Hilarious. But here's a real howler: "We have to go on subsidizing home building and financing."