Opinions

Many small-business lenders have less than 18 months to figure out how to gather and report on an extensive array of data.

A Texas judge dealt the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau a setback that has changed the bureau's calculus for furthering its near-term agenda. But an ambitious Supreme Court could also call all of the bureau's final rules into question.

Two bank trade groups have asked the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to relieve all banks from complying with its small-business lending rule until after the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether the bureau's funding is constitutional.

A group of House Republicans led by Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., said that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau doesn't have the authority to hold information discussions with the bureau's European Union counterparts.

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Thomas Barkin said the greater-than-expected easing in inflation in June may be an indication that the U.S. economy can have a "soft landing," returning to price stability without a damaging recession.

Jeffrey R. Schmid will assume Esther George's former role on August 21.

The Federal Reserve is leading the push for broader, more standardized risk-capital rules, yet some of its board members, other regulators and industry groups are uncomfortable with the proposal.

The Federal Reserve said that banks reported tighter standards and continued weak demand for loans in the second quarter, extending a trend that began before recent stresses in the banking sector emerged.

"I haven't made up my mind for what should happen in September," Goolsbee said.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. this week launched the sale of an $18.5 billion loan portfolio from the failed bank, a pool of debt tied to major private equity and investing firms.