Law and regulation

WASHINGTON — State bank associations threw their support behind a regulatory relief bill on Tuesday in hopes the legislation can gain traction in the Senate.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is raising concerns about potential spillover effects from depressed oil prices even as banks had sounded more optimistic. Tougher capital requirements for energy lenders could be on the horizon.

WASHINGTON — Regulators announced Tuesday that they are giving large banks with less than $100 billion in assets an additional year to file their living wills.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau added its voice Tuesday to a chorus of other regulators in calling for sustainable foreclosure relief when the Home Affordable Modification Program expires at yearend.

In a political season teeming with tension around income inequality, racial economic disparities and animus toward the banking industry, reforming the Community Reinvestment Act seems like it should be a cornerstone of the debate. Yet the law has been almost entirely absent from the discussion. Here's why.

Benefiting from higher loan guarantee income and lower derivative losses, Freddie Mac said Tuesday it had made $993 million in the second quarter, a dramatic reversal from its $354 million loss a quarter earlier.

JPMorgan Chase's contract to provide debit cards to inmates released from federal prison is backfiring after the bank agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by inmates who said they were charged exorbitant fees to access their money.

In a perfect world, better financial literacy — along with equipping bankers with ethical standards — would make the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau obsolete.

WASHINGTON – Lending standards for most business and residential real estate loans as well as subprime consumer loans are tighter than the 10-year average, according to a survey of senior bank loan officers released by the Federal Reserve Board.

In a board action late last week, the agency proposed a number of changes, including softening the exam appeals process, in response to recommendations by the FDIC Office of Inspector General. It also asked banks to pay particular attention to their relationships with third-party lenders.