TAKE-A-LOOK: Obama reform plans include financial watchdog

President Barack Obama pledged on Tuesday to pursue major
changes in U.S. financial regulation, but warned it will be a
"heavy lift" politically with special interests already
offering opposition.

The president will formally unveil his plan for tightening
oversight of banks and markets on Wednesday at 12:50 p.m. ET
(1650 GMT) after six months of debate over strategies and with
the economy still hurting from a severe financial crisis.

The administration will propose the creation of an
independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency to write and
enforce rules on fair lending and other matters and call for
the elimination of the thrift charter under which savings and
loans operate, among other changes.

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MAIN STORIES ON US REFORM FINANCIAL REGULATION:
> Obama to axe bank agency in US financial overhaul [ID:nN16308003]
> Obama plan urges review of Fed system--document [ID:nN16312203]
> Obama to urge U.S. insurance office, not regulator [ID:nN16450131]
> Obama plan would cut number of US bank regulators [ID:nN16310578]
> Obama to call for US product watchdog, merge agencies [ID:nN16308003]
> Obama would give financial protection agency teeth [ID:nN16158153]
> US Treasury won't pitch new insurance rules - sources [ID:nN16450131]
> Obama reform plans target banks, securitization [ID:nN15190553]
> Obama to require lenders to keep 5 pct of credit risk [ID:nN15219466]
> Wall St uneasy about reform of credit rating agencies [ID:nN15437266]
> Amherst's Dobson: Bank stakes in securitizations not enough [ID:nN15406884]
> US aims to force lenders to retain risk in securitizations [ID:nN15642100]
ANALYSES:
> Systemic banking risk within Congress's purview [ID:nN16293975]
> Banks view regulations plans as just proposals [ID:nN15439342]
>
FACTBOXES
> Obama plan for tightening US financial regulation [ID:nN15211435]
> Key players in reshaping US financial regulation [ID:nN1570842]
> Major US financial regulation initiatives [ID:nN15211009]
> Major US financial regulators face shake up [ID:nN15198192]
(New York Treasury Desk, +1-646-223-6352)