President Bush has announced his intention to nominate former Treasury Department official Sheila Bair to be the new chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.Ms. Bair served as Treasury assistant secretary for financial institutions during the first two years of the Bush administration. She resigned in 2002 to become a professor at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. If confirmed by the Senate, Ms. Bair would become the head of an agency that is considering a controversial application by Wal-Mart to offer limited banking services. The FDIC and the other banking regulators are also considering joint guidance that would force banks and thrifts to tighten their underwriting standards on interest-only and payment-option mortgages and pull back on commercial real estate lending. The American Bankers Association and the Independent Community Bankers of America welcomed the president's announcement. "Sheila Bair is an outstanding choice to head the FDIC," ABA president Edward Yingling said. Martin Gruenberg has been serving as acting FDIC chairman since former chairman Donald Powell resigned in November to become the president's coordinator of Gulf Coast rebuilding.
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A federal judge in Texas dismissed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's medical debt rule and prohibited states from passing their own laws prohibiting medical debt on credit reports.
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Dr. Mark Calabria takes on the additional role of chief statistician of the United States; retired Ally Bank executive Diane Morais has joined First Citizens Bancshares' board of directors; MainStreet Bank has promoted Alex Vari to chief financial officer; and more in this week's banking news roundup.
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While refinances are behind the latest increases, the pace of purchase activity may be a stronger indicator of where the housing market sits.
July 11 -
The share of economists expecting a September rate reduction grew in the July Wolters Kluwer survey, but the October or later percentage also increased.
July 11 -
Rising home prices and softening sales offer a mixed view of a market that some say is shifting to favor buyers.
July 11 -
The notes are backed by home improvement installment loans originated by approved dealers in Foundation Finance Company's network.
July 11