Law and regulation

Shoppers who finance the purchase of cars, furniture and home improvements are protected under a decades-old federal regulation. Now consumer groups are urging the FTC to update its rule and consider offering the same protections to victims of home-mortgage or auto-leasing scams.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau acknowledges that gearing up for the Truth in Lending Act/Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act integrated disclosures has been tough, and it promises to consider that fact in exams.

Key differences in the CFPB's agreements with Toyota and Honda are making it harder for the CFPB to make systemwide changes to the auto lending market. Here's why.

Not only does evidence point to small banks escaping interchange restrictions — as Congress intended — but there are also signs smaller institutions are gaining retail market share because of the exemption.

WASHINGTON — Federal bank regulators unveiled an interim final rule Friday allowing highly rated community banks to qualify for a less-stringent 18-month examination cycle.

Fannie Mae's net income fell 23% to $11 billion in 2015 from a year earlier despite benefiting from higher purchases of single-family and multifamily loans, the government-sponsored enterprise said Friday.

Survey results of voter attitudes from competitive swing districts indicate that the 2010 financial law is ripe for reform.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and our social media platforms.

The decision in Yvanova v. New Century Mortgage Corp. has the potential to radically increase the number of lawsuits brought by borrowers, particularly on loans that were pooled into securitized trusts.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve Board released an interim rule Thursday implementing a congressionally mandated reduction in the Fed dividend for banks with over $10 billion in assets.

Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt stopped short of calling for Treasury to recapitalize the government-sponsored enterprises, but said "something needs to be done" before they run out of capital.

Centrue Financial in Ottawa, Ill., has been released from an enforcement action that had prohibited the company from paying dividends without regulatory approval.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. will release its Quarterly Banking Profile for the fourth quarter of 2015 on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON — A public interest coalition is calling on bank regulators to declare the drinking water contamination in Flint, Mich., a "disaster" and encourage lenders from around the country to extend credit to the area in order to counteract the damage.

President Obama on Wednesday named Thomas Donilon, the former national security adviser, to chair a special commission to develop a long-term cybersecurity strategy.

Banks are enthusiastic about innovation that involves both traditional institutions and nonbanks, but a more cohesive regulatory landscape is needed for cooperation between banks and fintech to grow even more.

The former Harvard law professor is a long-shot choice for the high court and would face fierce Republican opposition, but she could help rally the Democrats ahead of the presidential election.

WASHINGTON — President Obama on Wednesday named Thomas Donilon, the former national security adviser, to chair a special commission to develop a long-term cybersecurity strategy.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency is launching a 10-day social media campaign, #HARPNow, to alert struggling homeowners in 10 states that they can still refinance via the program before it expires at year-end.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is moving forward with a plan to force big banks to keep better track of their insured deposits.