Law and regulation

Regulatory actions taken against U.S. Bank on Thursday proved once again that vendor relationships, even former ones, can cost a bank for years to come.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Home Loan banks of Seattle and Des Moines announced Thursday that their boards have unanimously approved a definitive agreement to merge.

Banks have very precise metrics for measuring profits and volatility from normal risk. Shouldn't there be an objective way to measure the extreme risk that can determine whether an institution fails or survives?

Officials sitting on the Basel Committee announced progress on a Net Stable Funding Ratio and other measures being developed by the international regulatory body.

Regulators fined U.S. Bank $57 million in penalties and restitution on Thursday to settle allegations that the $367 billion-asset bank unfairly marketed and charged add-on products to consumers.

WASHINGTON – Regulators fined U.S. Bank $57 million in penalties and restitution on Thursday to settle allegations that the $367 billion-asset bank unfairly marketed and charged add-on products to consumers.

Ripple Labs Inc., a venture capital-backed challenger to Western Union and Bitcoin, is for the first time gaining access to the U.S. banking system, and security hawks are raising eyebrows.

American Banker's 4th annual conference on the regulatory climate featured sharp warnings on the need for cybersecurity, diverse opinions on issues from Operation Choke Point to the utility of anti-money laundering procedures, and signs of optimism about the industry’s future. Here are six themes that emerged during the event.

A high percentage of Federal Housing Administration-insured loans are falling into the "higher priced" bucket due to a series of mortgage insurance hikes over the past several years.

In the coming months, banks, mortgage lenders, consumer advocates and policy wonks will be slicing and dicing the latest Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data, as they do every year. Rarely, if ever, have the stakes been higher.

A program that moves distressed mortgages out of the foreclosure pipeline can save the FHA and GSEs money and give troubled borrowers a better shot at staying in their homes — but only if it's properly implemented.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has agreed to ramp up its security policies on data collection in response to a recent Government Accountability Office report that raised nearly a dozen recommendations on the topic.

In a speech Tuesday, U.S. Bank Chief Executive Officer Richard Davis also offered mostly upbeat views about the evolving, more stringent expectations of bank regulators.

Esther George, president of the Kansas City Fed, highlighted the shortcomings of banking regulation, especially as applied to community banks, and said the "pendulum has swung too far" on consumer protection.

RentTrack and TransUnion have partnered to ensure renters "get the credit they deserve for on-time monthly payments."

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Director Jennifer Shasky Calvery pushed back again Tuesday against the idea that reports filed by bankers are not used by law enforcement officials.

Rep. John Delaney said Tuesday that he's "optimistic" Congress could take up reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac next term, despite the political difficulties lawmakers have faced in getting legislation approved over the past two years.

Speaking at American Banker's Regulatory Symposium, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Vice Chairman Thomas Hoenig said complex firms should not discount regulators' warnings of heightened supervision if their 2015 resolution plans fail to impress.

The Federal Reserve is tracking the competitive climate among community banks, including the dearth of new charter activity. Key officials also used opening remarks at the Fed's community banking conference to outline ways they are trying to improve communication with bankers.

In a broad-ranging Q&A at American Banker's Regulatory Symposium, Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry questioned the asset threshold used to subject larger banks to enhanced rules, and discussed examiners' concerns about the "culture" at banks.