Law and regulation

President Barack Obama plans to nominate Maria Contreras-Sweet, founder of a Latino-owned community bank in Los Angeles, as the next head of the Small Business Administration, according to multiple news reports.

Regions Financial (RF) is discontinuing its controversial short-term consumer loan product, the company announced Wednesday.

Bank employees may have profited by trading ahead of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac swap orders, Reuters reported, citing a description of the practice in a Federal Bureau of Investigation intelligence bulletin.

Under an interim rule released late Tuesday, most small banks -- and some large ones -- would not have to take writedowns on consolidated debt obligations backed by trust-preferred securities.

In the wake of a new edict from Washington, the San Francisco bank must decide whether to discontinue the controversial consumer loan product.

Just a few days after it took effect, House lawmakers began a renewed push for amendments to the "qualified mortgage" rule, arguing it will unintentionally squeeze out key borrowers.

Senate Democrats' decision to invoke the "nuclear option" has shifted the composition of a powerful federal appeals court, a move that could bolster the banking agencies against future industry challenges to the Dodd-Frank Act.

The Federal Reserve Board unveiled a concept proposal Tuesday outlining how it plans to limit banks' activities in physical commodities, a day ahead of a Senate subcommittee hearing devoted to the issue.

New York state regulator Benjamin Lawsky on Tuesday recommended reforms that aim to prevent online payday lenders from debiting consumers' bank accounts through the automated clearing house network.

The CFPB should establish a working group – of banks, credit reporting agencies, other regulators, Silicon Valley startups, retail consumer lenders and others – to ensure a level regulatory playing field and to conduct a thoughtful examination of American consumer credit.

TriSummit Bank in Kingsport, Tenn., has agreed to buy Community National Bank of the Lakeway Area (CNLA) in Morristown, Tenn.

A former Washington Mutual executive pleaded guilty in federal court in Bridgeport, Conn., Monday to accepting an illegal kickback.

Reps. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Scott Garrett, R-N.J., are warning that the Securities and Exchange Commission failed to conduct an economic analysis of the Volcker Rule, violating federal law.

A group of 17 Democrats from the House Financial Services Committee Monday called for a full committee hearing to address problems stemming from and related to the recent Target data breach that could have affected up to 110 million consumers.

Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., introduced legislation Monday to address concerns about how collateralized debt obligations backed by trust-preferred securities are treated under the Volcker Rule.

International regulators' decision to ease a final global leverage ratio will force the U.S. agencies to decide if they will follow suit -- and could cause them to make the domestic version of the ratio even tougher.

There are five major changes in Basel's latest guidelines that significantly impact its leverage ratio’s denominator, potentially leaving banks significantly undercapitalized in the event of an unexpected loss and endangering our economy.

A former Washington Mutual executive pleaded guilty in federal court in Bridgeport, Conn., Monday to accepting an illegal kickback.

Three Missouri businessmen accused of defrauding Excel Bank, which later failed, were arraigned in federal court in St. Louis on Friday.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency's new director, Mel Watt, has appointed four veteran government officials as special advisors.