Law and regulation

Potentially dangerous adjustable-rate mortgages are making a comeback. A few simple reforms could stop the financial industry from repeating the mistakes of the past while offering housing opportunities to low- and moderate-income borrowers.

Financial Services Roundtable CEO Tim Pawlenty discusses the after-effects of Dodd-Frank, the need to find regulatory balance between providing protection and hindering economic activity, concerns over the Johnson-Crapo GSE reform proposal, and more.

The U.S. Treasury Department said it sets limits while allowing the nation's intelligence agencies to access reports that banks file on suspicious or large money moves by customers, including information about Americans.

Wednesday's ruling that a lower court must accept an SEC settlement it viewed as inadequate effectively shackles the courts' ability to restore the rule of law in the financial services marketplace.

A reported $12 billion settlement with federal and state authorities could force Bank of America to take a charge eating up most of its second-quarter profits. After that, the bank may finally get to move on.

Payday lenders are raising the stakes in their pushback on Operation Choke Point with a lawsuit against banking regulators, alleging that "back-room pressure of banks" to dissolve longstanding relationships with payday shops and others is unfairly harming the industry.

The Federal Reserve said Friday that it has appointed Eric S. Belsky to serve as director of its Division of Consumer and Community Affairs.

The battle over a likely criminal plea and fine against French-based BNP Paribas is raising fresh questions not just about "too big to jail," but about the efficacy of cross-border resolution plans for systemically important institutions.

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week.

New York's top banking regulator Benjamin Lawsky is pressing BNP Paribas to dismiss one its top executives as part of settlement negotiations with the U.S. over alleged sanctions violations, according to a person familiar with the matter.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Housing Finance Agency is seeking public comment on the best way to set guarantee fees for loans bought by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Executives at private mortgage insurers expect the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to reduce some fees in the next year, which would make privately-insured GSE loans more competitive with government loans.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s first-quarter report on bank earnings said the ratio of loan-loss reserves to noncurrent loans rose for the sixth straight quarter, but some doubt the reserve "coverage ratio" is rebounding fast enough.

The federal banking agencies on Wednesday began an extensive effort — required by a law passed before the financial crisis — to gather feedback about which rules should be placed under the microscope for potential regulatory relief.

The Senate held two separate hearings on the issue on Wednesday, covering everything from bank ties to universities to trouble with student loan servicers.

Lenders across the country reported increased demand from consumers and businesses, continuing a prevailing trend from earlier this year, according to the Fed's Beige Book.

An appeals court on Wednesday voided a controversial decision in 2011 by New York Judge Jed S. Rakoff, saying he erred in scuttling a $325 million settlement between the Securities and Exchange Commission and Citigroup (NYSE: C).

The Senate approved a bill Tuesday night that would ease capital standards for insurance companies under the Dodd-Frank Act.

Californians picked Republican Neel Kashkari, a political newcomer who ran the federal bailout of the U.S. banking system, to challenge incumbent Democrat Jerry Brown for governor in November.

After a six-month wait, the Senate yesterday confirmed Timothy Massad to serve as chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as lawmakers moved to bring the derivatives regulator to a full roster by signing off on two additional nominees.