Law and regulation

WASHINGTON — Marijuana businesses and banks looking to open their doors to the potentially lucrative clients suffered a blow Wednesday after House Republicans blocked an amendment that would have prevented federal regulators from pursuing enforcement actions against banks dealing with the businesses in states with legalized pot.

WASHINGTON — Industry and consumer groups are calling on the Federal Housing Finance Agency to reduce the loan fees that homebuyers have to pay on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guaranteed mortgage loans.

Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen signaled Wednesday that the central bank could support a House Republican effort to reduce banks' regulatory burden in return for institutions holding higher capital, but said such a deal should only be open to small banks.

WASHINGTON — The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has created a new position tasked with developing compliance protocols and enforcing bank supervision policies.

The Federal Reserve Board's top two leaders on Wednesday defended the authority for resolving large company failures against criticism that the policy is a continuation of "too big to fail."

Michael Stegmanm President Obama's former point man on housing-finance reform, is taking a job with a think tank that has sought to play a major role in shaping rules for a world without mortgage guarantors Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — at least in their current form.

Evidence that regulators consider institution size when evaluating accounting compliance should encourage banks worried about the new loan-loss reserving standard.

Financial innovation, including distributed ledger technology and marketplace lending, has emerged as a new source of risk to the U.S. financial system, according to a report issued Tuesday by the Financial Stability Oversight Council.

Resolution plans put in place following the financial crisis have made big banks expert at contingency planning. Nonetheless, bankers here are keeping their fingers crossed that Britain will remain in the European Union.

A quarter of African-American, Asian and female employees of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau who responded to a survey experienced discrimination at the agency, according a new Government Accountability Office report.

Federal regulators will take decisive action if the biggest banks fail to improve their living wills by October, Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen pledged to lawmakers on Tuesday.

Hillary Clinton ripped Donald Trump's management skills at a time of maximum political vulnerability for the Republican presumptive nominee, whose campaign is in turmoil over weak fundraising and upheaval within his inner circle.

Consumers deserve disclosure and the protections enjoyed by payroll card users, but it is critical that regulations do not put providers out of business.

The ultimate approval of the CIT-OneWest merger by regulators represents a giant step backwards for the Community Reinvestment Act.

WASHINGTON – Democratic Senators sent a letter Monday to federal financial regulators pressing them to "remain vigilant" while grading big Wall Street banks' resolution plans.

For the first time, the Fed this year is requiring banks subject to stress tests to show how they would cope with the possibility of rates dipping into negative territory. Analysts say they will be keeping close watch on custody banks, asset-sensitive regionals and banks with little overseas exposure.

WASHINGTON — Banks in states with legal marijuana businesses may warm up to them as customers if an amendment to a Senate appropriations bill becomes law.

Financial incentives leading firms to strengthen risk governance internally is better than regulators mandating risk management standards.

Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari fired back Monday at those who argue "too big to fail" has been adequately addressed by Dodd-Frank and other reforms, contending that the new structure is overly complex and goes against real-world market conditions.

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