Opinions

Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said in a speech Tuesday that steeper interest rate cuts should be on the table if the labor market continues to show signs of decline.

The Supreme Court will hear a case in December that could overturn a longstanding precedent bolstering regulatory independence. Should the court strike down that precedent, it could have major implications for the independence of the Federal Reserve.

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President Alberto G. Musalem would not directly say whether central bank independence is under threat, instead highlighting that the topic has received more attention.

Prior to this week's Federal Open Market Committee meeting, many onlookers thought a Trump-aligned and oppositional voting bloc could emerge, complicating the central bank's message. But the quarterly economic projections show that not to be the case.

Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran said he hasn't spoken to President Donald Trump since the central bank's policy meeting this week, and didn't promise the president he would vote a particular way on interest rates.

President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court to reverse a lower court ruling allowing Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook to remain in office pending the outcome of her lawsuit challenging Trump's move to fire her late last month.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency will announce Senior staffers overseeing large, regional and community banks early next month, apparently reversing the unified approach to supervision it implemented earlier in the year.

Acting CFPB Director Russ Vought has managed to neuter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau through a series of actions. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., played a major role by cutting funding in half.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said there was a "high degree of unity" among committee members during this week's Federal Open Market Committee vote. Out of 12 FOMC members, 11 voted for a 25 basis point cut.

The Federal Open Market Committee's decision to reduce interest rates for the first time in nine months lifted bank stocks Wednesday. The 25-basis-point reduction could lead to net interest income headwinds now, but loan growth later, analysts said.