Opinions

JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon tried to defend his bank's size and scope by suggesting that community banks are just as vulnerable in a crisis. But he succeeded only in proving that Wall Street firms will make the same mistakes all over again unless the government takes steps to disincentivize their risky behavior.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve Board finalized a rule Thursday that could spur small bank deals by expanding the number of bank holding companies that qualify for an exception allowing them to carry more debt.

WASHINGTON — The House is slated to vote on a host of regulatory relief bills next week when Congress returns from its spring break.

Top Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee are asking federal regulators to cease all activity related to the Justice Department's "Operation Choke Point" and any related investigations.

WASHINGTON — Mortgage lender RMK Financial Corp. is facing a $250,000 fine by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on grounds that it used deceptive advertising.

Bank regulators plan to release their self-assessment tool later this quarter to gauge institutions' cyber readiness, but many see it as sign of more prescriptive measures down the road.

A group of community lenders is calling on the Treasury Department to establish reserves to capitalize a new cash window in case Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are dismantled.

Merchants argue that Fed policy allows banks to overcharge stores for debit-card swipe fees, resulting in higher prices for consumers. But the revenue banks earn on interchange fees benefits all Americans, since financial institutions invest a portion of it in developing security technologies to protect consumer data.

Leaders on the Senate Banking Committee are still trying to move forward on a regulatory relief deal, but negotiations will slip beyond an earlier goal to hold a vote by the middle of April.

The agency announced Wednesday it had filed a massive lawsuit against more than a dozen debt collectors, payment processors and related entities that the agency said failed to detect fraudulent collection tactics. By including processors in its suit, observers said the CFPB's move resembles the Justice Department's Operation Choke Point.