Banking agencies adopted several interim final rules that increase asset thresholds for qualifying insured depository institutions. The new rules would expand eligibility for an 18-month on-site examination cycle.

In a 2018 Annual Report, the Financial Stability Oversight Council recommended that financial regulatory agencies take additional steps to ensure U.S. financial stability.

President Donald J. Trump intends to designate Comptroller of the Currency Joseph Otting as Acting Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA"). Mr. Otting will continue to carry out his duties as Comptroller of the Currency. The current FHFA Director, Melvin Watt, advised the White House that he will leave at the conclusion of his term on January 6, 2019. Mr. Otting will be Acting Director upon Mr. Watt's departure until a permanent Director is confirmed.

In an Information Notice, FINRA provided firms with the due dates for filing requests of extension of time for bank and exchange holiday closures in 2019.

The Federal Reserve Board, the FDIC, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (collectively, the "agencies") joint proposal that would tailor the application of the agencies' capital and liquidity rules to large U.S. banking organizations was published in the Federal Register. Comments must be received by January 22, 2019. As previously covered, the proposal would establish categories of prudential standards in order to align regulatory capital, liquidity coverage ratio and net stable fund ratio requirements with a firm's risk profile.