Consumer lending

The lawsuit against Prehired involves a relatively new product that consumer advocates say is akin to a student loan — and should be subject to far more protections.

Ally, Truist, Citizens and SoFi are among the banks that offer student loan repayment benefits. The recent Supreme Court decision striking down President Biden's loan forgiveness plan could give a leg up to companies that provide such assistance to their employees.

Leigh Brady recently took over as chief executive of SECU, the second-largest credit union in the U.S. Don't look for any mergers under her leadership, Brady said, but she will focus on branch expansion and improving SECU's use of technology.

High interest rates could dampen demand for refinancing, which took a hit during the pandemic-era pause in federal student loan payments. "Curb your enthusiasm," one analyst said.

Adjusted for inflation, consumer spending has largely stalled after surging at the start of the year. Delinquency rates, meanwhile, are ticking up. 

New regulations on small-dollar lending are leaving consumers with few viable options when they need emergency access to cash.

Twenty lenders from across the country are participating in Underwriting for Racial Justice, a collaborative effort to develop new criteria that will enable marginalized borrowers to gain access to credit.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Treasury Department and the Department of Health and Human Services released a request for comment on medical debt financing products. At the same time, the White House said that the agencies will explore whether efforts to sign up customers are breaking the law.

Bonds backed by car loans made by U.S. Auto Sales and American Car Center, two used-car dealers that shut their doors earlier this year, have been veering into distress in recent weeks. Meanwhile, borrowers have been falling behind on payments.

As President Biden tries to revive a key campaign promise to provide widespread debt relief to student-loan borrowers after a Supreme Court setback, legal experts warn that he's likely to encounter a fresh wave of lawsuits challenging his authority to act without congressional approval.