Regulation

Savannah Bancorp Inc. in Georgia said earlier this week that its bank had entered into a written agreement with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency that reflects an "elevated level" of classified assets.

WASHINGTON — Credit unions appear to be facing an uphill battle in their ongoing effort to pass legislation that would double their cap on business lending.

A bipartisan bill in the House seeks to repeal the Durbin Amendment. But for now, at least, its prospects in the Senate appear dim.

Putting a commission in charge of the bureau would at best produce partisan gridlock, and risks handing the young agency over to financial institutions.

Consumers are understandably angry that their debit cards and checking accounts will be subject to new fees. No one likes price increases, especially when they appear suddenly and without apparent justification. However, the current backlash against the nation's large banks is misdirected, and the rationale for these new fees is generally misunderstood.

When banks attempt to mark up the transaction involving a dollar, the fee for the service is stark. It stands out in a manner that makes it both obvious and occasionally controversial.

As lawmakers consider an overhaul to the housing finance system, the banks and their allies are lobbying to be kept out of the process.

U.S. Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Congressman Bill Owens (D-New York) today plan to introduce legislation aimed at repealing the debit card interchange rate-control provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the lawmakers announced.

An ongoing tug-of-war between compensation and regulation has spread to retirement packages at community banks after a Michigan company opted to withhold about half of a payout to a retiring executive until an outstanding enforcement action is lifted.

The Securities and Exchange Commission unanimously issued a proposal Wednesday for implementing the so-called Volcker Rule.