Law and regulation

While most federal banking regulators use enforcement actions as a way to shape industry practices, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is taking that to a whole other level, frequently using orders as a substitute for new rules or guidelines.

Banks are pessimistic about the quality of commercial and industrial lending in 2016, according to a report released Monday by the Federal Reserve Board.

The marijuana industry is still hampered by its own banking crisis, but the rigidity of federal laws is not stopping all advances in financial services for the sector.

Presidential candidates are known for getting a few facts wrong on the campaign trail. When it comes to offering commentary on banking, this election cycle has seen a fair share of whoppers. Following are a collection of incorrect things asserted by candidates during the 2016 race.

Vantiv will stop processing transactions for its clients in daily fantasy sports amid government claims the sites are violating gambling laws, the New York Times reported Friday.

In an exclusive survey of bankers nationwide, American Banker found that regulatory relief and ensuring fintech companies faced banklike rules were the two top priorities for the industry this year — while taxing credit unions and restructuring the CFPB took a back seat.

Banks' vocal opposition to the National Credit Union Administration's proposal to ease field-of-membership rules overlooks why changes are necessary and long overdue.

Federal and state banking regulators are still struggling with how to come to grips with banks whose clients are heavily involved in digital currencies like bitcoin — and that may be curbing interest from many in the financial industry.

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.

WASHINGTON – Large banks will simulate their ability to weather both deflation and a recession among the annual economic scenarios provided by the Federal Reserve Board on Thursday for the central bank’s 2016 stress tests.

Presidential candidates' arguments to stop the Federal Reserve from paying interest on banks' excess reserves betray a poor understanding of monetary policy and why the Fed began the practice. Here's why.

The former president of a Texas community bank was sentenced to two years in federal prison for manipulating the bank's books and embezzling money to pay her daughter's sorority dues.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is reducing the mortgage insurance premiums it charges on Federal Housing Administration multifamily loans to encourage the renovation of affordable housing units and promote energy-efficient upgrades.

Amid concerns about the added complexity of the TILA-Respa integrated disclosures and growing demand for purchase loans, Flagstar Bancorp plans to reduce its over-reliance on third-party originations by expanding its retail mortgage business.

The combination of falling stock prices, higher-risk strategies and signs of worsening credit quality does not bode well for the industry's road ahead.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s polling numbers are running in the mid single digits in Iowa, making the prospects for his campaign bleak, yet he retains much of his support among bankers in the state.

WASHINGTON – Risks to financial stability have risen in the past year across several key areas, the Treasury Department’s Office of Financial Research said in a report to Congress issued Wednesday.

Banking's top trade groups sent a letter to Congress asking lawmakers to intervene and stop a plan by the National Credit Union Administration to expand field of membership for federal credit unions.

Banks that prioritize structural changes in their compliance process will make risk frameworks more effective and sustainable over time.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group took a surprise 3.6 billion-pound ($5.2 billion) hit to the value of its assets and set aside more money for past misconduct, limiting Chief Executive Officer Ross McEwan's ability to return capital to shareholders.