Investments

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she prefers to have the Financial Stability Oversight Council flag hazardous activities by nonbanks rather than subject specific firms to heightened supervision.

Executive vice presidents and above will be evaluated on how they contributed to progress on efforts to curb the firm’s use of carbon, improve financial inclusion and reach gender-pay parity, CEO Michael Miebach said in a memo to staff.

Free investment education and testing for risk tolerance are among the ways financial firms can better reach underserved consumers, former SEC chief Jay Clayton and Operation HOPE’s John Hope Bryant say.

The Treasury Department and U.S. regulators aim to boost demand for assets that tackle climate change, while preventing companies from making claims that could be considered “greenwashing,” or overstating the significance of emissions reductions and sustainability efforts.

The decision is seen as a setback for the banking industry, which had been pushing for an extension, and a win for Democrats, who have argued that a pandemic is no time for banks to be shedding capital.

Democrats want regulators to actively protect the financial system from losses tied to extreme weather events, while Republicans say climate policy is "beyond the scope" of their mission.

Big banks led the push to offer multibillion-dollar bonds that fund affordable housing, education and nonprofits that serve needy communities. But Truist's recent $1.25 billion bond is a sign that regionals want to attract progressive institutional investors — and burnish their images.

Slow settlement on traditional rails can cause dangerous delays in moving funds, says AppBrilliance's C. Eric Smith.

The bank also committed to finance $500 billion in sustainable businesses and projects by 2030.

Hector Negroni, a leader in pushing the needle in municipal finance, talks policy, infrastructure, ESG and a growing global audience for investing in state and local governments.

The industry wants regulators to extend a temporary measure making it easier to satisfy the supplementary leverage ratio. But Democrats’ control of the White House and Congress has given a bigger platform to those who say banks have had enough relief.

The bank’s new holding company, Amalgamated Financial Group, is the first publicly traded financial services company to become a public benefit corporation. It says the legal designation will help officers and directors balance the interests of shareholders and the public.

Going green takes time, so lenders need to start revamping entire business relationships now, according to one sustainability-focused nonprofit. That process could include setting environmental goals for fossil-fuels companies and other customers that are conditions for continuing to finance them.

Geneviève Piché, who has worked in investment banking at the company for 20 years, will be in charge of helping corporate clients make environmentally and socially responsible investments.

The product — a special class of shares in JPMorgan's Empower money market fund — will initially be distributed by the Harbor Bank of Maryland, Liberty Bank & Trust, M&F Bank and Unity National Bank, according to a statement.

The London-based firm chose a new name as it prepares to go public this year.

MoneyLion and Opportunity Financial are following in the footsteps of financial technology businesses that have raised billions of dollars from special purpose acquisition companies. The quick injection of funds is expected to accelerate their growth as well as make them more competitive with banks and other mainstream financial services firms.

Marqeta reached a $4 billion valuation over the last decade focusing only on prepaid and debit card issuing, and now it’s retooled its digital platform to issue credit cards, too.

Few businesses accept bitcoin for payments, but as Tesla and other big companies get on board that could change, says T1 Payments' Donald Kasdon.

Consumers who have felt betrayed by banks are more likely to turn to mobile apps that give them a greater sense of financial control. Bankers must reconnect with these people and reassure them that their personalized advice is safe and valuable.