Law and regulation

Real regulatory relief for community banks and stricter oversight of the biggest financial firms are steps that can increase investor interest in new banks.

On the one hand, Sen. Elizabeth Warren's potential elevation to vice president could give significant influence if Hillary Clinton wins the White House. But it would also remove a significant voice for reform from a key spot on the Senate Banking Committee.

U.S. prosecutors have abandoned their case against Angelo Mozilo, a leader in selling the risky subprime mortgages that fueled the financial crisis, after a two-year quest to bring a civil suit against him.

WASHINGTON — The Financial Stability Oversight Council fired another salvo late Thursday in an ongoing legal battle over its decision to designate MetLife as a systemically important financial institution.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and our social media platforms.

Richard Cordray, the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, is the target of a new TV ad campaign that alleges he is courting potential funders for a run as governor of Ohio by enacting a plan that would benefit trial lawyers. The campaign appears to be the work of Lincoln Strategy Group, a political strategy firm in Phoenix with ties to Republicans.

Study of financial services offers grim outlook for gender parity, as Patti Husic and Katia Bouazza talk about where change really begins; Maria Vullo vows to forge her own identity as New York's banking watchdog (sans boots); and male CEOs talk about how they maintain work-life balance. Plus, the significance of women wearing pants ( … if not boots).

The answer may be no, according to federal regulators. Their new guidelines on mobile security include other surprises, too, such as specific requirements tied to geolocation, security tests and cross-site scripting.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is considering whether to require state and local governments to disclose bank loans and private placements, according to people familiar with the matter, reflecting bondholders' concerns about the fast-growing segment of municipal finance.

The prospect of banks and credit unions meeting small-dollar loan demand is at risk under the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's restrictive proposal.