News Topic: regulation-reform

What the FHA calls its "capital" actually includes claims about what it might earn in the future. Bankers would get laughed at for trying the same ploy. ... Read full article

The FHA should calculate and publish its properly-called capital under standard GAAP accounting. Taxpayers could thereby be much better informed about what it is charging up on their credit card. ... Read full article

Banking regulators' nonchalance about preparing for a crisis is puzzling. ... Read full article

It is time for the FHA and its supporters to put the interest of working-class families ahead of real estate agents and other interest groups who want to expand its abusive lending practices. ... Read full article

As an industry, we do not need to be piling new regulations on our own head. When we fail to present a unified front and effectively communicate to professional lawmakers, the result will be ill-conceived laws. ... Read full article

We must pay more attention to placing blame where it exists and punishment where warranted, not foisting penalties off on shareholders, investors, customers and employees. ... Read full article

A new study concludes the agency's basic business model puts homeowners at an unacceptably high risk of default with negative consequences for communities. Nothing could be further from the truth. ... Read full article

Massive regulation provides a deep moat protecting large financial institutions against competition from community banks and innovators. ... Read full article

Although this initial phase of the program may seem beneficial as it seeks to keep European competitors honest, enforced convergence is a double-edged sword that raises worrisome issues for our country. ... Read full article

Some readers quickly labeled all 19 megabanks' failure to pass the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's new risk tests as evidence that "Too Big to Fail" remains very much alive. Others blamed the OCC's stricter standards. ... Read full article

This platform will need to be enterprise-level to ensure consistency in the application of economic scenarios, model use and reporting. ... Read full article

Tax incentives and penalties drive behavior regardless of whether or not they represent sound economic reality. And banks will be asked to provide lending and investment support accordingly. ... Read full article

While some may suggest the practice is warranted so agency attorneys can address deficiencies hurting consumers, ultimately everyone loses when opportunities for frank discussion are lost. ... Read full article

Regulators need to create an environment where firms are not afraid to speak out. Banks need to come up with clearer explanations of their business models to prevent the creation of unnecessary rules. ... Read full article

Ensuring that corporate boards include a diverse set of skills, backgrounds and personalities helps against groupthink's dislocation of corporate and shareholder interests. ... Read full article

Banks are unsure if deposit contracts with broker-dealers that have longer-term rate and contract maturities will be treated as such under Basel III. ... Read full article

Fees charged on homebuyers are meant to cover risk and protect taxpayers from losses, not pay for unrelated government programs. ... Read full article

The "living will" process gives financial institutions the opportunity to, among other things, frame policy, improve operational efficiencies and educate the market, business units and regulators. ... Read full article