Key insight: The core of both the Senate and House versions of the legislation aim to increase the supply of housing, but a slew of bipartisan riders in the House version have been opposed by some Democrats in the upper chamber. What’s at stake: The House version has a number of bank-favored riders, like brokered […]
Senate tees up housing bill, but what’s in it is unclear Read More »
Processing Content Key insight: Banks made $295.6 billion in net income in 2025. Supporting data: Banks’ net interest margin hit 3.39%. Forward look: Shortly after the data window, which showed no bank failures in Q4 2025, a small Chicago bank failed in January. Banks closed 2025 profitably, with higher rates of lending and stable credit
Banks close 2025 with strong profits, higher lending Read More »
WASHINGTON — Karen Petrou, co-founder and managing partner of Federal Financial Analytics and a luminary of financial policy, died Saturday afternoon of liver cancer after a brief illness. She was 73. Processing Content Petrou wielded an outsized presence in Washington economic and regulatory circles, cultivated over the course of decades in the industry and through
Karen Petrou, founder of Federal Financial Analytics, dies Read More »
A consortium of mortgage and banking trade groups is voicing support for changes to a capital risk framework governing depository institutions, which if enacted could expand their participation in home lending. Processing Content In a letter addressed to federal officials, the groups called for further reexamination and a reproposal of the Basel III rule that
Mortgage trade groups back call for updates to Basel III Read More »
Veterans United Home Loans is the target of a potential class-action lawsuit over alleged illegal predatory practices. Processing Content The three plaintiffs, all military veterans, accused the lender of deceptively suggesting it was part of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the federal government and steering clients to more costly loans, the filing said. The
Lender sued for steering and deceiving military veterans Read More »
Key Insight: Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman is racing ahead to publish Basel III for commentary before the end of the first quarter. She’s previously highlighted that changes will be introduced to the framework to encourage bank participation in mortgages. Expert Quote: “I’ve said for a number of months now that we
Fed’s Bowman says Basel proposal still on track for end of Q1 Read More »
Could your artificial intelligence-powered voice agents break the law in talking to consumers? Processing Content Experts behind agentic AI technology in the mortgage space suggest it’s already happening. The digital voice assistants offered by leading lenders, which help hundreds of thousands of customers today weigh home buying options and facilitate monthly mortgage payments, could also
AI voice agents stir TCPA compliance debate Read More »
A federal judge has defeated a trade group’s bid to stop tighter lending rules for clean energy loans, overriding protests that the move would hike costs and diminish demand. Processing Content The ruling on summary judgment this week by U.S. District Judge Tom Barber, in favor of the government, means administrators with the Property Assessed
Trade group loses bid to block PACE rules Read More »
Key Insight: Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said the Fed is exploring ways to reduce banks’ regulatory costs associated with mortgage lending and servicing. Expert Quote: “These potential changes would address legitimate concerns about mortgage market structure while maintaining appropriate prudential safeguards.” — Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman. Forward Look:
Fed’s Bowman wants to boost banks’ share of mortgage market Read More »
In a new lawsuit that has attracted AARP, a consumer advocacy group is suing home equity investment platform Unison, the latest in a series of similar cases HEI firms have seen lodged against them. Processing Content The National Association of Consumer Advocates filed the lawsuit in District of Columbia Superior Court. Alongside its own attorneys,
AARP joins suit against Unison HEI model Read More »