As the biggest U.S. banks clamor to defeat Congressional measures that could break up their firms or slap a big tax on their transactions, another costly proposal is quietly gaining steam.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Thursday that no financial firm should be able to escape regulation, and the largest institutions need oversight from a single, strong regulator.

The European Commission has accused credit-rating agency Standard & Poor's of unfair pricing when charging licensing fees for issuing International Securities Identification Numbers, or ID codes for securities.

The coroner’s report left no doubt as to the cause of death: toxic loans. That was the conclusion of a financial autopsy that federal officials performed on Haven Trust Bank, a small bank in Duluth, Ga., that collapsed last December, the New York Times reported.

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, in testimony before the Joint Economic Committee Thursday, will argue that "recovery alone is not enough" and that Congress must pass comprehensive regulatory reform to ensure the strength and stability of the economy, according to an excerpt of the speech obtained by CNBC.

Brazil took another step on Wednesday aimed at containing the appreciation of its currency, unveiling a 1.5 percent tax on certain trades involving American Depositary Receipts issued by Brazilian companies.

A group of House Democrats are stepping up demands for greater transparency from the Federal Reserve after reports that the Fed mishandled the bailout of insurance giant American International Group.

Government regulators will break up institutions whose failure would bring down the entire financial system, under an amendment Rep. Paul Kanjorski will introduce today.

Four boats seized by U.S. authorities from imprisoned swindler Bernard Madoff and his right-hand man, Frank DiPascali, sold for nearly $2 million at auction on Tuesday, the U.S. Marshals Service said.

A senior House Democrat says the government didn't force Bank of America to take over Merrill Lynch, but a bank board member said much pressure was applied and Republicans charged that a committee inquiry was covering up the role of an Obama administration official.

Some 14,700 rich Americans worried about a U.S. government crackdown on offshore tax cheats came forward to participate in a tax amnesty program, the top U.S. tax official said on Tuesday.

The most important new antidiscrimination law in two decades — the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act — will take effect in the nation’s workplaces next weekend, prohibiting employers from requesting genetic testing or considering someone’s genetic background in hiring, firing or promotions. The New York Times explaines the ramifications.

The U.S. Federal Reserve stepped up its consumer protection efforts for the second time in less than a week Monday, proposing to limit the ability of gift card issuers to impose excessive fees.

National Liquidators handled the successful sale of  Bernard Madoff's three boats, a Mercedes convertible, and a fourth boat once owned by Madoff's right-hand man Frank DiPascali. All totaled, the auction raised more than $2 million for Madoff's victims.

Significant weaknesses still have to work their way through the US economy, coupled with a rising level of debt, Kansas City Fed President Thomas Hoenig said Monday.