Law and regulation

How misleading claims by both credit unions and banks are clouding the debate over business lending at the non-profits.

A broad coalition of housing advocates and banking industry trade groups called on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Monday to broadly define "qualified mortgage" when it issues a final rule this year.

Industry watchers expecting foreclosure trends to follow a predictable path are destined for surprises, as the recent figures from RealtyTrac demonstrate. March marked a 4-year low in new foreclosures, with actions increasing in judicial states, but surprisingly declining in non-judicial ones. In the aftermath of the AG settlement with the major servicers, this result seems counterintuitive to say the least. However looks may be deceiving on closer examination.

A European mobile wallet venture led by telecommunications operators has run into a setback with regulators.

WASHINGTON — Banking regulators in some states have expanded the use of a mortgage licensing system to include non-banks, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors said Monday.

Industry observers are concerned that banks could get caught flat-footed as regulators ramp up oversight of Bank Secrecy Act and Anti Money Laundering policies.

Second-step conversions by mutual holding companies have been in a freeze since last summer, but at least one analyst believes that the market is set to thaw.

The American Bar Association argued a CFPB rule to protect privileged bank information is flawed because it presumes the agency has a right to the information in the first place.

Pacific Valley Bank in Salinas, Calif., announced it intends to de-register its thinly traded shares and suspend filing periodic financial reports with the FDIC as a result of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act signed into law this month.

Thomas Hoenig and Jeremiah Norton were officially sworn in Monday as the two newest members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. board of directors.

In the wake of the news of Global Payments' breach last month, some are asking processors to tighten security and accept more risk.

DBA International, the largest association representing the debt-buying industry, supports the recent enforcement actions by the Federal Trade Commission to shut down and freeze the assets of a company accused of fraudulently collecting more than $5.2 million in payday loan debts from consumers.

Bank of New York Mellon is set to pay a $6 million civil penalty for pledging collateral that was not eligible under an emergency liquidity facility, the Federal Reserve Board said Monday.

Though it caved to First Premier’s lawsuit, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has failed to resolve the uncertainty about the rules for credit card fees.

Banks and credit unions are lobbying fiercely over legislation that would allow the latter to expand further into commercial lending.

Joe Smith could choose a large consulting firm as project team leader only and mandate that this firm pick experts and on-the-ground compliance staff from a wider range of outfits.

The Obama Administration argued Friday that the government's response to the financial crisis has been unfairly maligned and is likely to earn money for taxpayers.

Scores of community banks could soon deregister from the Securities and Exchange Commission due to a clause in the newly signed law. But some lawyers warn that activist investors could take advantage of banks that decide to stop filing documents with the SEC.

JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo reported surprisingly strong revenue growth on Friday, reversing the slumps of recent quarters. A pickup in mortgage banking returns helped.

Some 350 banks are yet to pay back Tarp funds. A recent auction of preferred shares may signal a way out for the Treasury.