Policy & Regulation

Morgan Stanley agreed to pay $3.2 billion to end a joint federal-state investigation into its handling of mortgage-backed securities, the fourth deal to be struck in a probe of the big U.S. banks' role in the subprime mortgage meltdown and the financial crisis it spawned.

Other countries have already lowered interest rates below zero, and the financial stability concerns of such a policy taking shape in the U.S. should not be dismissed.

Strong demand for rentals will keep pace with new construction over the next few years, the government-sponsored enterprise says.

Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen faced tough questions Wednesday by House Financial Services Committee lawmakers over the central bank's regulatory treatment of big banks.

While the courts generally accord deference to regulators, Judge Rosemary M. Collyer of the D.C. District Court appeared highly skeptical of the Financial Stability Oversight Council's case during the first round of oral arguments on Wednesday.

Should companies that manage collateralized loan obligations but don't originate the loans be subject to Dodd-Frank's risk-retention rules for securitizations?

The Bancorp in Wilmington, Del., named Sepideh Behram to the role of chief compliance officer. Her hiring comes as the $4.8 billion-asset company works to shore up its risk and compliance management.

A modest proposal in the president's new budget plan seeks to strengthen the link between youth employment programs, financial education and the responsible use of financial products.

The pressure on banks to become less risky backfires when they respond by curtailing services that are vital in a functioning financial system.

U.S. Bancorp will pay $10 million while Banco Santander settled for $3.4 million following missteps in how they handled earlier orders from regulators to fix faulty foreclosure practices, according to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.