Policymaking

A House Republican tax proposal that infuriated housing groups and sent homebuilder stocks sliding would only have a modest impact on the market for new homes and could end up being a net positive for the industry, according to Keefe, Bruyette & Woods analysts.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency must set fees equal to the cost of capital that private banks hold against similar risk, not just the amount of capital that Fannie and Freddie think are right for themselves.

Hopes that tax reform might soften a weakening of the mortgage interest deduction were quickly dashed as the GOP plan landed a double punch on the incentive cherished by the mortgage and housing industries.

Call-report data on commercial and industrial loans does not fully capture small-business lending by smaller institutions, a recent FDIC survey suggests.

In a somewhat surprising decision, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling announced his retirement from Congress on Tuesday, but speculation immediately grew that he could fill a regulatory post.

Brian Montgomery appears headed for easy confirmation for another stint as commissioner of the Federal Housing Administration, despite objections by Sen. Elizabeth Warren that he is too close to the financial services industry.

The GOP appears to have barely enough votes to roll back the contentious CFPB rule, and floor debate was expected to begin Tuesday with a final vote possible at any time. But victory was not assured, and the fallout could be significant for all sides.

Some housing groups are warming to an idea that they say could help more Americans benefit from housing-related subsidies than the mortgage interest deduction.

The nonbinding guidance, which followed a nearly yearlong inquiry about industry practices, said consumers should have greater ability to obtain information about their financial data, among other principles.

With issuance of marketplace securitizations now exploding — rising 300% cumulatively in the past two years — the idea of online lending as a niche is quickly deteriorating.

The obvious impact of the Trump administration's moves to undermine the Affordable Care Act will be on consumers in nongroup insurance, but they also carry consequences for all lenders.

HUD Secretary Ben Carson said he's held off making any decision on premium cuts until the confirmation of key appointments. "It has been a real ordeal getting people in place," he said.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created in part to ensure that nonbanks are subject to federal oversight, but the fact is that 99% of banks are exempt from CFPB supervision.

Congress may soon try to limit the personal identifiable information that companies and the government can collect on consumers based on their reaction to the massive data breach at Equifax.

Though FHFA Director Mel Watt stopped short of saying he would break with a Treasury agreement that forces all profits of the GSEs to go to the government, he emphasized that it couldn’t continue indefinitely.

After the FSOC voted to rescind its systemic designation for AIG, it's unclear whether the interagency council will continue to appeal a court ruling overturning MetLife's SIFI designation.

In a recent letter, two trade groups representing that industry lobbied Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to support a bill that would give oversight of nonbank mortgage lenders exclusively to state regulators.

The Federal Housing Administration is extending processing hours for reverse mortgages this weekend to accommodate a rush to get loans approved ahead of rule changes coming Oct. 2.

The House passed a bill Thursday making it easier to obtain private flood insurance policies, but moments later the Senate took a pass on the legislation.

Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., plans to reintroduce legislation requiring the IRS to fast-track income verification, which proponents say could reduce the financial industry's dependence on credit bureaus.