Law and regulation

Senate Democrats' decision to invoke the "nuclear option" has shifted the composition of a powerful federal appeals court, a move that could bolster the banking agencies against future industry challenges to the Dodd-Frank Act.

The Federal Reserve Board unveiled a concept proposal Tuesday outlining how it plans to limit banks' activities in physical commodities, a day ahead of a Senate subcommittee hearing devoted to the issue.

New York state regulator Benjamin Lawsky on Tuesday recommended reforms that aim to prevent online payday lenders from debiting consumers' bank accounts through the automated clearing house network.

The CFPB should establish a working group – of banks, credit reporting agencies, other regulators, Silicon Valley startups, retail consumer lenders and others – to ensure a level regulatory playing field and to conduct a thoughtful examination of American consumer credit.

TriSummit Bank in Kingsport, Tenn., has agreed to buy Community National Bank of the Lakeway Area (CNLA) in Morristown, Tenn.

A former Washington Mutual executive pleaded guilty in federal court in Bridgeport, Conn., Monday to accepting an illegal kickback.

Reps. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Scott Garrett, R-N.J., are warning that the Securities and Exchange Commission failed to conduct an economic analysis of the Volcker Rule, violating federal law.

A group of 17 Democrats from the House Financial Services Committee Monday called for a full committee hearing to address problems stemming from and related to the recent Target data breach that could have affected up to 110 million consumers.

Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., introduced legislation Monday to address concerns about how collateralized debt obligations backed by trust-preferred securities are treated under the Volcker Rule.

International regulators' decision to ease a final global leverage ratio will force the U.S. agencies to decide if they will follow suit -- and could cause them to make the domestic version of the ratio even tougher.

There are five major changes in Basel's latest guidelines that significantly impact its leverage ratio’s denominator, potentially leaving banks significantly undercapitalized in the event of an unexpected loss and endangering our economy.

A former Washington Mutual executive pleaded guilty in federal court in Bridgeport, Conn., Monday to accepting an illegal kickback.

Three Missouri businessmen accused of defrauding Excel Bank, which later failed, were arraigned in federal court in St. Louis on Friday.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency's new director, Mel Watt, has appointed four veteran government officials as special advisors.

Troubles with home mortgages, debt collection practices and used vehicle sales topped the list of complaints consumers filed last year with the Iowa Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.

The Federal Reserve is investigating whether traders at the world's biggest banks rigged benchmark currency rates, raising the risk that firms will be penalized for lax controls as regulators look for wrongdoing.

Global regulators diluted a planned debt limit for banks amid warnings that the measure would penalize low-risk financial activities and curtail lending.

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President Obama announced three nominations to the Federal Reserve Board on Friday, but left the job of a second vice chair in charge of bank supervision unfilled.

Regulators posted condensed blueprints Friday from 116 banking firms on how they could be unwound in a failure.