The Federal Reserve and the Conference of State Bank Supervisors recently held their second annual conference dedicated to community bank research. Here are some of the important studies and reform ideas discussed during the two-day event in St. Louis.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's action against Flagstar Bank on Monday marked a series of firsts for the agency, including the first time it enforced its new mortgage servicing rules and the first time it banned a servicer from servicing new loans until fixes are made.

WM Morrison Supermarkets Plc is leading a group of U.K. retailers seeking to add as much as 1 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) to the amount it's seeking from MasterCard Inc. in an antitrust suit over payment fees.

Banks, credit unions, payday lenders and installment lenders are likely to feel the impact of restrictions on loans to members of the military that the Defense Department has proposed.

First Republic Bank in San Francisco expects its four-quarter average assets to reach $50 billion late next year.

Ripple Labs Inc., a venture capital-backed challenger to Western Union and Bitcoin, is for the first time gaining access to the U.S. banking system, and security hawks are raising eyebrows.

American Banker's 4th annual conference on the regulatory climate featured sharp warnings on the need for cybersecurity, diverse opinions on issues from Operation Choke Point to the utility of anti-money laundering procedures, and signs of optimism about the industry’s future. Here are six themes that emerged during the event.

A high percentage of Federal Housing Administration-insured loans are falling into the "higher priced" bucket due to a series of mortgage insurance hikes over the past several years.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has agreed to ramp up its security policies on data collection in response to a recent Government Accountability Office report that raised nearly a dozen recommendations on the topic.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has agreed to ramp up its security policies on data collection in response to a recent Government Accountability Office report that raised nearly a dozen recommendations on the topic.

Esther George, president of the Kansas City Fed, highlighted the shortcomings of banking regulation, especially as applied to community banks, and said the "pendulum has swung too far" on consumer protection.

Speaking at American Banker's Regulatory Symposium, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Vice Chairman Thomas Hoenig said complex firms should not discount regulators' warnings of heightened supervision if their 2015 resolution plans fail to impress.

In a broad-ranging Q&A at American Banker's Regulatory Symposium, Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry questioned the asset threshold used to subject larger banks to enhanced rules, and discussed examiners' concerns about the "culture" at banks.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently appointed eight new members to its Credit Union Advisory Council.

Regulators are developing joint standards for cybersecurity, testing special exam procedures and helping banks assess their own readiness, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Martin Gruenberg said at American Banker's 4th Annual Regulatory Symposium. That's a good thing because community bankers said they need a lot of help.

Janet Yellen's tenure as Fed chair could open more doors for women in the C-suite. It also sends a powerful message to younger generations: math and economics are cool.

Industry groups have urged the bank regulators to implement more wholesale changes in the second review mandated by a 1996 law, saying the outcome of the first review was disappointing.

WASHINGTON — New NCUA Board Member Mark McWatters believes a second comment period is needed on the regulator's proposed risk-based capital rule and will not vote for any RBC proposal that does not include one.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau remains committed to working with the financial services industry to improve the mortgage closing experience for consumers through the use of technology, CFPB director Richard Cordray said.

Pictures and highlights of some of the featured speakers at the trade group's annual Washington, D.C., event.