PayThink

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is considering new rules covering the collection and sale of some consumer data. If it's not careful, the agency could be inadvertently assisting identity thieves.

The failure of Republic First isn't a systemic threat or even a surprise. But the conditions that led to its failure are not all that unique and may foreshadow a secular rise in bank consolidation — one that policymakers can either embrace or resist.

Though written before the internet era, the book about working at Salomon Brothers in the 1980s that launched Michael Lewis' writing career still holds important lessons about the true costs of success.

Climate models that purport to assess the risk of environmental damage faced by individual properties threaten to distort the market, despite having little demonstrable accuracy.

Extensive partnerships with third-party service providers, fintechs and other partners are the banking equivalent of a supply chain, and bankers need to be clear-eyed about assessing the risk associated with them.

Branches won't succeed without significant investment in mobile and in-branch technology; but failing to invest in bankers themselves is just as big a problem.

The Federal Reserve's new proposal to lower the cap on debit card fees will drive up the prices consumers pay for other services, while forcing some banks out of the market entirely.

An anti-ESG crusade in Texas exposes the degree to which conservative hype over companies' ESG policies has lost touch with the reality of the market, to the detriment of taxpayers.

Congress passes laws all the time requiring agencies to issue rules on tough problems. But in many cases — and for many reasons — agencies sometimes just don't do it. Taking those responsibilities away and giving them to another agency might keep agencies on track.

The Biden administration's proposal to waive title insurance requirements for mortgage lenders would undercut an efficient system that offers homebuyers important protections.