regulators

CFPB to Oversee Debt Collectors

Expanding its reach, the government's consumer finance watchdog agency will monitor the day-to-day operations of big debt-collection companies. It is the first time that debt collectors have been subject to federal scrutiny of their routine business practices.

MetLife Sells Bank Unit to Avoid New Fed Regulations

In order to avoid new federal rules and heightened scrutiny from regulators, MetLife has decided to sell its banking unit. That's a smart move for the nation's largest life insurer, and keeps it on a level playing field with its competitors.

3 Firms Charged With Oil Price Manipulation

A manipulative scheme that made unlawful profits on the price of crude oil was flagged in a complaint Tuesday by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, a sign that the regulator is cracking down on potential speculation in energy markets.

Nasdaq, ICE Drop $11 Billion Bid for NYSE Euronext

Nasdaq and IntercontinentalExchange are withdrawing their $11 billion bid for the New York Stock Exchange after recognizing that it wouldn't receive regulatory approval. The decision leaves the path open for NYSE Euronext to merge with the German exchange operator Deutsche Boerse.

Relief for Homeowners in Mortgage Mess Settlement?

Will homeowners see a penny of the reimbursements that the government has ordered 16 mortgage lenders to pay? Not likely, foreclosure victims and housing activists say, because the independent review ordered by regulators is too weak.

Decoding the GOP Argument Against Punishing Banks

Almost as soon as regulators proposed a settlement for the mortgage mess that would require banks to obey the law, the banks' Republican allies began trying to weaken it through obfuscation and confusion. Read on for some plain English translations of their arguments against the settlement.

The Mortgage Mess Settlement Proposal: Off to an Awful Start

A partial settlement plan has been constructed by a group of state attorneys general and federal regulators. In theory, it addresses banks' flawed mortgage servicing, modification and foreclosure practices. In reality, it just lets the banks off the hook.

Financial Meltdown Accountability: Bring On the Class Actions!

The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission's report concludes that ineffective regulators and big banks were the primary causes of the financial meltdown. Next stop: Government and class action lawsuits to recoup some of what we all lost, and (please please please) criminal charges against the worst offenders too.

New SEC Rule Gives Investors a Vote on Executive Pay

The Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday approved a measure that gives institutional shareholders a vote on executive pay at large corporations, part of regulators' efforts to give investors greater say over top-level salaries that have been described as excessive.