Regulation

WASHINGTON — A House subcommittee announced Tuesday that it has scheduled a meeting on May 21 to hear from three officials at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau who were recently subpoenaed to testify on allegations of employee discrimination and retaliation at the agency.

Advocates of mandatory arbitration say that it is cheaper than litigation and just as fair to consumers. Both claims are suspect.

RBS Moves to Spin Off Citizens; Fed Staffing Strains

Connecticut's top banking regulator on Monday warned investors about the dangers of Bitcoin.

Connecticut's top banking regulator on Monday warned investors about the dangers of bitcoin.

Freddie Mac, which along with Fannie Mae has forced home lenders to buy back tens of billions of dollars of flawed mortgages, said the companies are loosening rules that made banks more cautious about extending credit.

The Senate Banking Committee will renew its markup of legislation to overhaul the housing finance system on Thursday, after abruptly postponing the deliberations late last month.

Between Operation Choke Point and anti-laundering regulations, financial institutions are going to new lengths to avoid anything even remotely associated with illegality — raising questions of fairness, slippery slopes and self-preservation.

Lenders and loan officers are increasingly using social media to scout for customers, raising a host of compliance concerns, from preventing unauthorized use of brands to monitoring employee communications.

Though Vice Chairman Thomas Hoenig and board member Jeremiah Norton must defer to Chairman Martin Gruenberg on setting the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s agenda, the two directors have still found ways to affect policy, particularly on new capital rules for the biggest banks.