Law and regulation

Multifamily properties are getting pricy and new construction is putting upward pressure on vacancy rates, worrying banking regulators.

State Street said it incorrectly invoiced at least $200 million in asset servicing expenses to clients over a period of 18 years.

De novo activity has remained at a trickle and the reason is investing in a new bank just isn't attractive as it used to be.

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.

Freddie Mac will begin issuing single-family mortgage-backed securities sometime next year via the new common securitization platform, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said Thursday.

The legal status of marijuana is likely to shift dramatically next year, with around ten states considering some form of decriminalization. But banks will likely have a longer wait until the rules around serving marijuana businesses are cleared up.

WASHINGTON — The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency released details Thursday of a proposal that would require large banks to submit a "recovery plan" for how they would survive a crisis.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has ordered payday and pawn lender EZCorp Inc. to pay $10.5 million for alleged illegal debt collection tactics.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced Thursday that it had fined one of the largest dealer-finance companies, CarHop, $6.5 million for inaccurately reporting consumer credit data.

Sen. Bob Corker championed a provision he added to the budget bill that would temporarily prevent the Treasury Department from recapitalizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and discussed other banking priorities in a sitdown interview with American Banker.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's payday loan proposal threatens many money services businesses on the front lines of stopping money-laundering and terrorist financing.

Now is not the time for the Federal Housing Administration — which has stayed strong amid turmoil — to reduce its market share.

House Republicans attacked the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Wednesday, arguing the agency is not able to safely secure the anonymous bulk data it collects on consumers' financial activities.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Wednesday that it has hired Mary McLeod to become the agency's new general counsel starting next year.

Credit risk, interest rate risk and cybersecurity concerns pose growing risks to banks in the first half of 2016, according to a semiannual risk report issued Wednesday by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

The banking industry had mixed opinions of the Fed's decision to boost rates. Most believe 25 basis points will do little to move the needle financially, but they are apprehensive about the impact more increases will have on deposits, lending and credit quality. Here is a sampling of what bankers have said in recent days.

Despite months of intense lobbying, the banking industry failed to secure a number of key reforms in Congress's must-pass spending package, unveiled Tuesday night.

Bank officials say they are ready for rising rates; disagree on how much the initial increase would help or hurt lending and the economy; and predict more rate increases next year.

The Federal Open Market Committee Wednesday voted to raise federal interest rates from nearly zero for the first time since 2008, meeting market expectations but ushering in a new and uncertain normal for the banking industry.

The central bank's "total loss absorbing capacity" proposal must be reworked to ensure that costs of huge failures don't fall on society at large.