Opinions

Legislation introduced by Democratic Rep. Brad Miller would ban certain practices that he says make it difficult for some customers to change banks.

Capitalizing on consumer outrage over a $5 monthly debit card fee Bank of America Corp. plans to impose, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is urging smaller banks to seize the “competitive opportunity” and go after unhappy BofA customers while suggesting the issuer would prefer its customers use credit cards instead.

Many bankers believe issues with classified loans are limiting them from making loans or pursuing acquisitions.

Federal Reserve governor Sarah Bloom Raskin on Tuesday pressed for changes in mortgage servicing agreements to encourage more workouts of troubled loans.

American Banker's Rob Blackwell explains why lenders may learn to love the agency's forthcoming mortgage disclosure rules.

The California AG's decision to withdraw from mortgage settlement talks has effectively killed a multi-state deal with the top five mortgage servicers over claims of robo-signing and other foreclosure issues.

An investigation by the Office of Inspector for the Federal Housing Finance Agency says the agency had information as early as 2009 about potentially abusive foreclosure practices, but did nothing to investigate them.

President Obama on Monday pointed to Bank of America Corp.'s decision to charge some of its customers a $5 monthly fee for debit-card purchases as an example of why the U.S. needs a strong consumer watchdog.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York may ask foreign lenders for more detailed daily reports on liquidity as the U.S. steps up monitoring of risks from Europe's sovereign debt crisis, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

While the effective demise of settlement talks between the state attorneys general and the top mortgage services has its downsides, it may ultimately turn out to be a good thing for banks.