Banking

The Trump administration is seeking to fire roughly 90% of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's staff and is fighting for that right in court. But if the administration prevails, can other consumer protection authorities from other federal regulators pick up the slack?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cited ongoing litigation and cost benefits in extending compliance by roughly a year with reporting data on the race, ethnicity and gender of small business loan applicants.

In 2021, banks pledged to wind down their support for oil and gas. Last year they made a $162 billion U-turn, according to a new report from a coalition of advocacy groups.

The CEO of First Northwest Bancorp is promising to fight a lawsuit claiming the lender helped a client perpetrate a Ponzi scheme that bilked a hedge fund out of more than $100 million.

San Diego's North Island Credit Union joins a growing number of institutions that are prioritizing AI technology to streamline customer service.

Commerce Bancshares agreed to pay around $585 million to acquire FineMark Holdings. It's the Missouri bank's first bank deal in 12 years.

Primis Bank plans to sell an undisclosed amount of its 19% ownership stake in Panacea Financial, a digital-only lender focusing on medical professionals and veterinarians. The deal should yield $22 million.

The impact of President Trump's tariffs is the top concern for most middle-market American businesses, a new KeyBank survey found. But these firms also view the scrambled landscape as a chance to innovate and restructure.

The Federal Reserve Board banned a former relationship banker in Arkansas after he was caught stealing customer funds; Benchmark Federal Credit Union plans to merge with Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union to form a $2.1 billion-asset institution; Robin Vince, CEO of Bank of New York Mellon since 2022, has been elected chairman of the board; and more in this week's banking news roundup.

In USAA's battle with banks over mobile deposit technology, which it says it invented, a bank has scored a rare victory.