Court Overturns Merrill-BofA Settlement With SEC

Or else face public action

(NEWSER) - Federal regulators have warned Bank of America’s board that the bank will face a public enforcement action if it doesn’t take steps to fix its corporate governance, risk management, and liquidity, sources tell the Wall Street Journal . The bank has been operating under a confidential memorandum of understanding directing it to fix those things since May 2009, but in recent months regulators have warned the bank that if it doesn’t shape up, that informal agreement will become a formal, public order. More»

They're near deal to settle allegations on mortgage-bond deals

(NEWSER) - A number of top Wall Street banks are on the verge of settling fraud allegations with the SEC for the mortgage-bond shenanigans that led to the financial crisis, sources tell the Wall Street Journal . The cases are being handled individually, since each bank faces substantially different charges, with the first settlement expected as soon as next week. They represent regulators’ biggest attempt so far to hold Wall Street accountable for the crisis. More»

Citigroup, Bank of America often reported similar numbers

(NEWSER) - The Justice Department and the SEC are investigating whether banks colluded to hold down a key interest rate before and during the financial crisis, sources tell the Wall Street Journal . The London interbank offered rate, or Libor, is calculated based on banks' self-reported borrowing costs. But from 2006 to 2008 some banks, most notably Bank of America and Citigroup, reported remarkably similar costs, even though each company had different pressures operating on it. More»

Energy sector leads stocks lower; financials up on BofA settlement

(NEWSER) - Energy issues pushed stocks lower today after indexes hung around opening levels and briefly wandered into positive territory. Bank of America's settlement with the SEC over its acquisition of Merrill Lynch last year boosted financials, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• The Dow fell 18.97 points to close at 10,383.38.
• The Nasdaq lost 1.84, settling at 2,242.03.
• The S&P 500 dropped 1.16 to close at 1,108.01.

Agency routinely grants waivers for harshest punishments

(NEWSER) - Financial giants accused of swindling investors have been successfully dodging the SEC's harshest penalties by arguing that the law shouldn't apply to them. Firms including Citigroup, Bank of America, and AIG have recently sought and received waivers from regulations requiring lawbreakers to close their mutual fund businesses. Waivers have been granted to repeat regulation offenders and even firms that lied on their waiver application forms, a McClatchy investigation finds. More»