Law and regulation

The FDIC's crisis-era guarantee of unsecured debt had a stabilizing effect, and unlike Treasury's capital infusions in banks the so-called TLGP skirted a lot of the bad publicity associated with the bailout. With its end approaching, some see the debt guarantee as a model for future crises.

The Federal Reserve Board has terminated a written agreement with North Valley Bancorp (NOVB) in response to the Redding, Calif., company's improved financial condition.

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said Thursday that while the administration still supports the bank tax, it's now talking with members of Congress about other potential ways to pay for the president's broad mortgage refinancing proposal.

When I see my name in print included alongside names like Sheila Bair, Tom Hoenig, Richard Fisher, and Simon Johnson, I take notice.

Sens. Jeff Merkley and Carl Levin on Thursday urged regulators not to delay writing a strong rule that would ban banks from proprietary trading.

A surge in mortgage lending drove strong profits for banks of all sizes in the first quarter, with some banks attributing the improvement to new regulations.

Arnold Schwarzenegger said, when he was first elected as governor of California, that he wanted to "blow up the boxes" of the state bureaucracy.

The House on Wednesday easily approved a bill that would provide small banks an exemption from clearing requirements for swaps under the Dodd-Frank Act.

American Banker apparently feels duty-bound to publish a story whenever it learns of a credit union that is not supporting the industry’s effort to enact legislation raising the cap that now constrains credit unions' ability to lend to small businesses ("Third Credit Union Dissents on Business Lending Bill," April 23).

Despite a growing number of calls from policymakers and regulators to break up the biggest banks, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke instead endorsed a batch of rules under Dodd-Frank that discouraged banks from becoming too large and overly complex.

Senate Democrats held a hearing Wednesday to build support for further expansions to the Obama administration's flagship refinance program.

A growing cadre of policymakers and regulators are arguing to break up the big banks. Here's why it's a bad idea.

Most shareholders are not activists. Relatively few voice displeasure over executive pay, or other issues such as reappointment of ineffective audit firms. About the only thing they do wake up for is to complain about poor dividends.

One of the most important regulatory decisions currently facing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is how to define the characteristics of a "qualified mortgage." This decision will have an enormous impact on the mortgage markets, and will ultimately determine the types of mortgages generally available in the United States, and the minimum qualifications for those seeking to obtain a home loan.

The Small Business Lending Fund provided an exit path for the healthiest institutions in the Troubled Asset Relief Program, but left the latter program full of weak banks with dim repayment prospects, according to a report from the special inspector for Tarp.

Truman Bank of St. Louis has been undercapitalized since late last year and the Federal Reserve Board has issued a Prompt Corrective Action order saying said it has 90 days to either bolster its capital levels or find a buyer.

Ignore the rhetoric from both sides on the issue. The odds that the business lending bill will be enacted this year are significantly slimmer than they were just last week.

Wal-Mart stands accused of a major bribery scheme that cuts to the core of the way this international giant does business in Mexico – and demonstrates how little U.S. regulators and investors know.

Zions Bancorporation (ZION) will raise up to $250 million in fresh capital to redeem outstanding preferred shares, including stock issued to the Treasury Department from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

WASHINGTON–The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is seeking input for a study that could pave the way for new limits on consumer arbitration clauses.