regulation-reform

Familiar Patterns in Spain's Banking Crisis

06/27/12

Dubious stress test results? External auditors who fail to flag insolvency in advance? The U.S. and U.K. have seen this film before.

[more]

Nudged to Death

06/27/12

From the CFPB to the FSOC to New York's ban on large soda cups, followers of behavioral theory have gone overboard in their rabid enthusiasm for governmental manipulation.

[more]

Rating Agencies Remain a Weak Link in the Financial System

06/25/12

Looking back on last summer provides some perspective. What's worse: a $2 billion nick to one bank's profits, or a massive computational error leading to the unprecedented downgrade of the world's most powerful economic force?

[more]

Is Financial Repression Leading America Down a Road to Ruin?

06/20/12

Kevin Mellyn's "Broken Markets" warns that state suppression of market forces could have lasting consequences. Bankers and policymakers should take heed.

[more]

Why Congress Must Let TAG Expire: To Help Small Banks

06/19/12

Under TAG, the large banks' cost of funds advantage has grown tremendously, despite the promise that it would do the opposite - namely help smaller banks.

[more]

5 Things House Lawmakers Should Avoid at the Dimon Hearing

06/18/12

Among other things, House lawmakers shouldn't tell Jamie Dimon how awesome he is (he already knows) and shouldn't suggest over-regulation caused the $2 billion-plus loss at the bank. To find out the worst thing they could do, however, read on.

[more]

Who Really Wins When Government Controls Prices?

06/15/12

Home Depot told shareholders that interchange price controls would add "$35 million a year" to the company's bottom line. Why should consumers now believe the company has chosen not to keep these newfound gains for itself?

[more]

Lawmakers Need to Cut Regulators Some Slack on Dodd-Frank Implementation

06/14/12

The constant criticism from Congress just makes the rulemaking process longer without adding much to the debate.

[more]

Want To Make Risky Trades with No Brakes? Go To London

06/14/12

We need stronger cross-border regulatory enforcement to spot U.S firms going to London for looser rules. Guess what MF Global, Lehman, AIG and the London Whale have in common.

[more]

OCC Lacks Resources to Spot Problems Like JPMorgan's

06/12/12

It's too easy to blame the agency. With a job as complex as the FAA's, but less than a tenth of the staff, the OCC for practical and philosophical reasons relies on banks to manage and monitor risk.

[more]