Policy & Regulation

WASHINGTON — As the federal government begins to take a closer look at the regulation of mobile payments, the first signs of a split within the payments industry are emerging.

In a slow stretch for issuance of bank shares, companies looking to raise capital for acquisitions have come to the fore in offerings that have performed relatively well.

The effective tax rate for banks has dropped to a range of roughly 30% to 32%, down from a range of roughly 32% to 33% in the years leading up to the recession. Recoveries of deferred tax assets might be the reason.

Bankers are reluctant to embrace cloud computing based on a variety of security and regulatory fears, concerns that aren't matched by reality.

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Upheaval in funding markets has radically reshaped the liability profile of foreign bank operations in the United States, but they have continued to increase lending despite an exodus of deposits that began in the middle of last year.

As Washington starts to look at the rapidly emerging sphere, some in the industry are calling for regulators to level the playing field, while others are warning that regulation may stifle innovation.

It's been more than a month since James Freis, the director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, was abruptly dismissed from that position.

The Financial Services Forum announced Friday that it has named Laena Fallon as its vice president for communications, effective in August.

The government plans to collect $137 million from some of the nation's biggest banks and financial firms to help cover the cost of a new research office officials hope can help prevent future financial calamities.