BMO names Tony Sciarrino head of its U.S. commercial bank; Renasant receives regulatory approvals to complete its pending acquisition of The First Bancshares; Arkansas classifies earned wage access as a financial product; and more in this week's banking news roundup.

Federal Reserve policymakers said that the U.S. economy remains on sound footing, despite recent setbacks, and that two interest rate cuts lie ahead. Bank stocks advanced on hopes for loan growth and more M&A.

The hires, meant to shore up a division that has not been as tech-forward as leadership would like, have included Morgan Stanley and J.P. Morgan veterans.

President Trump's concept, which is framed as a potential bipartisan effort, could mean a new route to a goal Dems targeted via foreclosure sale restrictions.

First Federal Bank stretched its retail mortgage operations into Louisiana and Mississippi, following its expansion into the Midwest and Arizona in 2023.

The Mortgage Bankers Association is examining the data to see if the high ratio warrants a new push for a premium cut but said rising arrears call for caution.

The Trump administration's decision to launch a criminal investigation of the Federal Reserve chair is a blatant abuse of power that threatens to undermine confidence in the financial stability of the U.S.

Following President Trump's aggressive bank deregulation agenda, the FDIC and OCC, and occasionally the increasingly politicized Fed, are in a race to slash compliance requirements. Bankers should remember that the pendulum can always swing back.

As the Federal Reserve's quantitative tightening efforts fade into history, the major engine of economic growth in the U.S. will be bank lending. Regulators should keep a close eye on where those dollars are going.