Regulation

The federal government's more active role in GDP, payroll and other vital statistics produced by the island could hasten its recovery from Hurricane Maria and lift lending and bank valuations at the same time.

BB&T-SunTrust deal came together with remarkable speed; Citi and Chase take on fintechs at their own game; CECL spells trouble for small banks, consumers; and more from this week’s most-read stories.

PricewaterhouseCoopers settled a lawsuit in which the FDIC accused it of negligence in its role as external auditor for Colonial Bank. But FDIC board member Martin Gruenberg objected because the firm did not accept blame.

Industry lawyers say the agency’s decision could have implications for other bankers looking to change jobs.

The Senate Banking Committee will hold two hearings at the end of March on Chairman Mike Crapo’s most recent framework for housing finance reform.

A partnership between TDECU and a Texas-based fintech will help provide payment plans for consumers struggling to pay legal fees.

Municipal IDs help marginalized groups, such as undocumented immigrants, open checking accounts and become credit union members but concerns over regulatory compliance linger.

Regulators have taken a critical look at AML controls and handed out significant fines to financial institutions found to be lacking, according to Chad Hetherington, global vice president of professional services for NICE Actimize.

Readers debate the merits of activist pressure on bank business, discuss the Trump administration's influence on the CFPB, consider Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan's performance before Congress and more.

The regulator's governing body has been short-handed since former chairman Debbie Matz stepped down in April 2016.