Regulation

OceanFirst Financial in Toms River, N.J., expects to increase its fourth-quarter loan-loss provision because of Hurricane Sandy and new regulatory guidance for borrowers who have filed for bankruptcy.

The industry returned to sustainable (albeit tepid) profitability this year and housing appears to have bottomed. Regulatory fines and litigation continue to cast a pall on the future, however.

Wells Fargo has won a partial victory in its appeal of a closely watched, $203 million overdraft lawsuit, but both sides of the case are gearing up for another round of fighting over the bank's consumer practices.

The presidential election dominated Washington this year, but other issues also sparked controversy, including pending Basel III rules, Sheila Bair's book, and an FDIC attempt to redefine community banks. Following are the most read stories in Reg and Reform this past year, counting down from #10 to #1.

Fraud and data security trends can change by the minute, often making it difficult to pinpoint a specific development as a key event during the course of a year. Not so in 2012.

The $2.7 billion-asset parent of AnchorBank in Madison, Wis., said Wednesday it has prepaid $150 million in advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank System that were due in 2015.

The FDIC this year has filed more lawsuits against the officers and directors of failed banks than it did last year. That number is expected to grow again next year, and involve smaller institutions.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is finishing a redesign of its headquarters featuring an open floor plan — a sharp departure from the labyrinthine layout of the previous tenant, the OTS.

Banking was a tough business to thrive in over the past year. These ten executives stood out for savvy moves that enabled their companies to beat the odds.

A debt collector from Lonsdale, Minn. has been indicted for bank fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minneapolis.