Economy

Banks' ethical and regulatory missteps have been a source of consternation for regulators and the general public since the 2008 financial crisis. So how can the Trump administration balance accountability with its promises of low regulation and high growth?

Chemical CEO David Ramaker has a wide range of options — diversify business lines, expand organically in several Midwestern states, pursue M&A or all of the above — following his recent acquisition of Talmer. But new challenges accompany Chemical's higher profile, too.

It's unclear how the new political environment will affect the platform's viability or how investors will view the securities issued on it. The next year could determine the project's success and role reshaping the secondary mortgage market.

Congress wants to put federal flood program on sounder financial footing, encourage the development of private flood insurance market and stop the insanity of rebuilding properties subject to repetitive flooding.

The case against Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is stronger than the argument for their survival.

Treasury sweep agreement set to deplete Fannie and Freddie's capital reserves by the end of 2017.

The Federal Reserve has freed Cole Taylor Bank from an enforcement action two years after the Chicago bank was acquired by MB Financial.

Regulators have warned about the dangers of high commercial real estate concentrations despite bankers' assertions that they are managing risk better than they did before the financial crisis. Still, CRE concerns could influence M&A and loan diversification in 2017.

Andrew Jetter is stepping down as the chief executive of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka after serving as the president and the CEO for 14 years.

Now that the OCC has proposed a limited-purpose bank charter for fintech companies, a host of innovative new banks will soon flood the market — or maybe not.

The National Credit Union Administration acted appropriately, within its legal authority, when issuing its member business lending rule.

Ginnie Mae has revised the wording of the acknowledgment agreements necessary to finance mortgage servicing rights. It sought to resolve a concern warehouse lenders had in the event issuers become troubled.

Scandal, business models gone awry, missing money and executive shake-ups — 2016 had it all. Here are the financial services executives or groups of them who took the heat and will be looking for better times in 2017.

Opes Advisors shows would-be borrowers how purchasing a house fits into their total financial picture, now and years into the future. Many of its loan officers are licensed investment advisors.

The National Association of Realtors is warning House Republicans leaders that their tax reform plan would marginalize two long-standing tax incentives for owning a home, which could hurt the housing market.

So now what? New York Community Bancorp and Astoria Financial have been mum about why they nixed their merger agreement, or where they go next, but the companies have a surprising number of options in the current climate.

Citizens Financial Group in Providence, R.I., said Tuesday that it expects to start offering digital small-business loans in mid-2017.

Female entrepreneurs who apply for loans online and are evaluated by an automated system get a bigger share of online credits than they do traditional in-person bank loans. It could be a sign that automated credit decisions are fairer.

Following the passage of the November ballot initiative, it is hugely important that cannabis businesses in the nation's largest state be able to secure bank accounts, at a minimum.

The banking system ultimately needs a balanced approach to capital, which allows banks to efficiently function while also maintaining financial stability.