Policy & Regulation

"Fed watchers will be parsing Powell's comments for signs that a 50bp rate cut is on the table for September," noted Lauren Saidel-Baker, an economist with ITR Economics. "However, the notoriously tight-lipped chair is unlikely to confirm this, making a 25bp cut the most likely outcome."

The industry-led legal challenge to new anti-redlining rules is opposed by some banks and consumer protection groups, who say the changes are necessary.

Federal Reserve Gov. Michelle Bowman said she has concerns about an uptick in inflation and will need to see more positive data before supporting an interest rate cut.

The new president will shape the direction of banking policy, but because financial regulators are more insulated from politics than many other areas, that transition will be gradual.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has moved to ban medical debt from appearing on credit reports, but its analysis relies on a sliver of consumer data from more than a decade ago.

For half a century, the Shadow Open Market Committee has been one of the Federal Reserve's sharpest critics. After years of seeing its public profile wither, the group is eyeing a return to prominence.

Four companies are fighting CFPB enforcement actions by claiming the agency cannot be funded by the Federal Reserve, which has not been profitable since 2022. The consumer bureau calls the new legal theory "meritless."

Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller says the central bank is tracking research on financial stability risks related to payments, as well as blockchain and crypto developments.

Acima offers lease-to-own plans on consumer items, but the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and New York officials are calling those plans credit. The battles, playing out in separate courts, could trigger more expansive protections for customers.

Heritage Bancshares Group entered into a written agreement with the Federal Reserve, promising to address issues with cash flow and capital management.