BankThink

A Lesson for U.S. Housing Reformers from Across the Pond

05/29/13

The U.K. Help to Buy guarantee program provides a good example of how a private-public risk sharing arrangement could be structured among mortgage insurers, lenders and the government.

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Liberty Reserve Definitely Not Too Big to Jail

05/29/13

Receiving Wide Coverage ... Laundering Charged: The creators of Liberty Reserve, a cross-border virtual currency exchange, have been arrested and charged with laundering $6 billion. That's "what prosecutors believe to be the largest online money-laundering case in history," the Times reports, with the word "online" being key. $6 billion is 0.9% of what HSBC allegedly failed to control the transmission of between 2006 and 2009, leading to a $1.9 billion fine. …

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We Have the Tools to End TBTF, We Just Have to Use Them

05/29/13

Regulators, legislators, bankers, and the public should do everything they can so that Title I of Dodd-Frank works. The goal is to avoid Title II – orderly liquidation – at all cost.

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Take a Deep Breath and Think Before Rushing Further Reform

05/28/13

The nation needs a more informed public discussion of the kind of financial system we really want before we try breaking up the big banks through legislation or regulatory fiat.

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EMV Could Make Prepaid Cards Prohibitive to Issue, Unless ...

05/28/13

Either prepaid will move to mobile or prepaid will have to be repositioned toward a more value-added proposition.

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How to Avoid Fair Lending Enforcement Actions

05/28/13

The CFPB has made fair lending a top priority. To avoid problems, scrutinize the agency’s view of the laws, proactively analyze policies and document the reasons behind your loan decisions.

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Dimon Postscript; Eurozone Turmoil Sparks U.S. M&A

05/28/13

Receiving Wide Coverage ...

A Little Something for Dimon Withdrawal: Feeling bereft now that the shooting has died down in the tabloid war over the House of JPMorgan Chase? Jamie Dimon may not really "want any more press," but the press isn't quite cooperating. In "Current Account" in the Journal, Francesco Guerrera offered a homily about how Dimon should think about succession and board expertise after his victory in retaining the chairmanship. In "Fair Game" in...

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How Your Bank Can Do Well by Doing Good

05/27/13

As long as your corporate social responsibility program is a true effort to give back, it can pay huge dividends for everyone involved.

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Google's Banking Potential; GSE Debate Redux; Columnist Potpourri

05/24/13

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week.

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How Banks Used to Spot Check Kiting

05/24/13

Sharp bookkeepers could spot a kite in progress, but, more often than not, they were too hurried to give the ledgers a second look.

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