Regulation

The first new bank in three years recently cleared the hurdles necessary to open its doors. To do so, Bank of Bird-in-Hand's backers had to file 18 inches of paperwork, raising the question of whether regulators have become so strict that they'll encourage financial innovators to go elsewhere and leave community banks to languish.

WASHINGTON — Former New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg is stepping down from his role as chief executive of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association after just seven months on the job, the Wall Street trade group said Thursday.

Financial institutions and their respective lawyers are in the process of understanding the final Volcker Rule.

A response to Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren.

Northwest Bancorp. (NBCT) in Spokane, Wash., has raised $12.5 million after selling common stock and issuing subordinated notes and warrants.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is taking a strong stance against lenders that use contract clauses that block consumers from going to court in a report due out Thursday that will likely lead to new regulations.

The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council on Wednesday issued final guidance aimed at helping, banks, credit unions and other financial institutions manage risks related to social media.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday released its final rule defining what constitutes a "qualified mortgage."

The Dodd-Frank Act requires banks with at least $10 billion of assets to conduct annual stress tests, but experts say many banks below the outset already have a process or have plans to begin testing.

The Volcker Rule may finally be out, but the process of understanding the intricacies of the complex regulation that bans the largest banks from making risky trades has only just begun.