Paycheck Protection Program

Lenders are set to flood the SBA with new PPP applications; long nights and weekends the new normal; Fifth Third rethinks new-branch designs in light of coronavirus; and more from this week's most-read stories.

The bill, which President Trump is expected to sign Friday, includes $310 billion more funding; the four largest U.S. banks took in $590 billion of the $1 trillion banks attracted.

The industry has always been somewhat reluctant to participate in Small Business Administration lending, but that could change if the agency manages the Paycheck Protection Program well going forward.

The House overwhelmingly passed and sent to President Donald Trump a $484 billion coronavirus aid package, even as members are already at odds over the next phase of rescue legislation.

The energy business alone faces immense challenges and the overall economy may not bounce back until 2022, Stephen Steinour says.

The central bank and other agencies have come under pressure to be transparent about their use of funds authorized by the recent pandemic rescue law.

The policy move will allow small institutions participating in the Paycheck Protection Program to pledge business loans as collateral to obtain advances.

Lawmakers should approve a program to distribute stimulus funds using a government-sanctioned coin, which would be speedier than the current system.

Some say the agencies are exacting too high a price to buy loans from the cash-strapped lenders; some small banks hustled in dealing with the Paycheck Protection Program, others are accused of a hustle.

Financial institutions could testify before the bipartisan commission overseeing the unprecedented economic aid for industries hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. But without subpoena authority, the panel’s impact may be limited.