Law and regulation

Federal legislation is needed to enhance cyber-threat information sharing so that good-faith responsive actions and information sharing will not trigger legal liability.

Maria Contreras-Sweet, selected to succeed Karen Mills at the Small Business Administration, has a background in lending to Hispanic groups and women. But bankers hope she'll focus on shifting the SBA to more online loans.

Seven industry trade groups representing the largest U.S. financial institutions are calling on U.S. regulators to revise a proposed liquidity requirement to reflect changes made by global regulators.

Under current conditions, bank executives would be crazy to hold back. If they get caught, they can pay their way out of the problems with shareholders’ money. And if their misdeeds pay off as expected, the profits will goose their pay.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said a financial services model for the U.S. Postal Service -- proposed in a recent inspector general's report -- should be considered in light of high costs facing the underserved.

Janet Yellen officially became Fed chair on Monday as former chairman Ben Bernanke announced his next steps.

The Fourth Circuit of Appeals in North Carolina ruled Friday that a previously dismissed class action case centering on language in collection letters should be returned to the district court for further action.

The Idaho Department of Finance closed the $153.4 million-asset Syringa Bank in Boise on Friday. It was the first bank closed in the state in nearly five years.

Bank of America Corp.'s proposed $8.5 billion settlement with mortgage-bond investors, including BlackRock Inc. (BLK) and Pacific Investment Management Co., was approved by a New York state judge, except for some loan modification claims.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray is taking time away from his regulatory duties for the game show's special tournament featuring past champions.

There's an elephant in the room amidst discussions on how to unwind Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- the two government-sponsored enterprises are now making money hand over fist.

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

The central bank of Estonia, where Swedish banks dominate the lending market, urged consumers to steer clear of Bitcoin and similar virtual currencies, warning such software could prove to be little more than a "Ponzi scheme."

Stefan Ingves, chairman of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, called Friday for global regulators to complete their work on already agreed upon international banking reforms.

For some, 2013 may be remembered as the toughest regulatory year on record. New regulation will likely slow this year, but scrutiny is expected to rise.

Groups representing the U.S. financial-services industry urged Congress to resolve the debt limit debate because a default on the nation's obligations "should not be an option for policy makers to consider."

Fitch Ratings, Citigroup Global Markets, and issuers of municipal securities are warning that a proposal designed to ensure that financial institutions are equipped to handle severe financial stress could seriously hurt the municipal bond market.

One could imagine a postal bank as a feeder service that brings unbanked consumers into the mainstream financial system and then graduates them to private institutions.

The Senate is set to vote on a mammoth agricultural bill next Tuesday after two years of intense debate.

The Senate passed legislation Thursday afternoon to postpone flood insurance premium increases that have already begun to go into effect around the country.