John Heltman is the Washington Bureau Chief for American Banker. John previously edited American Banker Magazine and is the creator of American Banker's narrative podcast Bankshot. He was awarded the Grand Neal, the top honor bestowed by the Jesse H. Neal Awards, in 2019 for his narrative podcast series Nobody’s Home, which examines the economic and social impact of concentrated vacant housing. He was also named the 2019 McAllister Editorial Fellow at Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. He is a 2005 graduate of St. Mary’s College of Maryland and lives in Baltimore, Md.
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The Federal Reserve's monetary policy group is expected to hold rates steady, but the chairman will face a litany of questions about the year ahead and on the inflationary impact of implications of the Trump administration's early policy moves.
January 29 -
Asheville, North Carolina-based HomeTrust Bancshares is pulling back from the region, selling its two Knoxville branches for an undisclosed sum. Apex will assume the branches' deposits, valued at an estimated $42 million.
By John HeltmanJanuary 28 -
President Trump reinstated a revised executive order from his first term that would make it easier for the White House to remove policy-facing federal employees — including Senior Executive Service employees. The National Treasury Employees Union sued the White House in response.
By John HeltmanJanuary 21 -
Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Vice Chair Travis Hill has assumed the duties of FDIC chair, National Credit Union Administration Vice Chair Kyle Hauptman took over as NCUA chair and Securities and Exchange Commission member Mark Uyeda will serve as acting chair of the SEC.
By John HeltmanJanuary 20 -
Hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Treasury Secretary, will appear before the Senate Finance Committee for his confirmation hearing Thursday morning starting at 10:30 am.
January 16 -
In what is likely his final speech before resigning as chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., Martin Gruenberg warned that novel products and services heralded as "innovation" often lead to financial crises without appropriate attention to market and supervisory fundamentals.
By John HeltmanJanuary 14 -
Barr gave up his prestigious position as the Federal Reserve vice chair for supervision. In keeping his seat on the Board of Governors, he may have strengthened his hand in shaping banking regulation.
By John HeltmanJanuary 7 -
In their new book, "The New World Economy in 5 Trends," Koen De Leus and Philippe Gijsels predict a future in which neutral interest rates are higher, technology is transformative and the urgency of climate-change adaptation creates investment opportunities.
By John HeltmanJanuary 3 -
Economists say the U.S. economy is leaving 2024 healthy, with unemployment low, inflation manageable and growth robust. Unknown variables — including the depth and scope of President-elect Donald Trump's immigration and tariff policies — could change that course, but likely not until 2026.
By John HeltmanDecember 23 -
The Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee cut the federal funds rate by 25 basis points Wednesday, and Fed Chair Jerome Powell will take questions from reporters following the meeting.
December 18