Economy

The more aggressive nonbank lenders are attracting top producers by essentially allowing loan officers to set their own rate of pay. While so-called "pick-a-pay" compensation plans are not illegal, critics say they can encourage loan officers to steer consumers into more expensive loans in order to increase their own pay.

Financial institutions considering whether to bank marijuana-related businesses often receive inaccurate information about the emerging industry. Here are five common myths.

Apple Inc. grabbed the early worm in mobile payments with Apple Pay's late 2014 launch, combining an intuitive mobile payments system for consumers with the buy-in of major banks and merchants. But the tech giant’s first-mover advantage never seemed to materialize.

With its proposal to force big banks to deliver "recovery plans," the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is filling a gap in the current regulatory regime — and making a power play at the same time.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are telling lenders that they are willing to retain loans with defects if they believe the defects are minor and can be fixed. But Freddie is one-upping Fannie by offering to retain such loans without charging lenders a fee.

Regulators' recent focus on the leverage ratio to measure capital adequacy is similar to a golfer ignoring the shape, speed and cut of a putting green.

Of all the companies in the payments landscape, few have changed as much as PayPal has in the past year. And heading into the new year, the newly independent alternative payments company is showing no signs of slowing down.

Lending Club, the nation's largest marketplace lender, announced Tuesday that it has raised interest rates on its new loans by an average of 0.25% in the wake of the Federal Reserve Board's recent rate hike.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency appears to be on course to decide next year whether Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should update their credit scoring models.

Existing-home sales plummeted in November, confirming fears in the mortgage industry that a new consumer disclosure rule is delaying mortgage closings.

Both banks and Wall Street critics support a new Fed proposal to implement a countercyclical capital buffer on megabanks, but the two sides diverge on when and how the Fed would use it.

A healthy bank culture can only be built from within, rather than as a compliance exercise to satisfy regulators.

The Internet of Things is ready to take off in modern retail in the coming year, spurred by a growing connection to consumer payments.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency is giving private mortgage insurers some hope this holiday season that they might get a change to offer deeper mortgage insurance on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac single-family loans.

Some mortgage investors are refusing to buy home loans that are at risk of violations of new consumer-disclosure rules. The problem appears to be worst among nonagency jumbo loans purchased by private investors.

The Federal Reserve issued a proposal Monday outlining a framework to implement a countercyclical capital buffer for the largest and most internationally active banks, a key part of Basel III that has until now lacked any details.

Multifamily properties are getting pricy and new construction is putting upward pressure on vacancy rates, worrying banking regulators.