The use of the Federal Reserve's emergency lending facilities was largely unchanged this week, indicating to some that the recent liquidity crisis isn't getting any worse.

The high-stakes acquisitions of 2008 and subsequent legal liabilities have sapped enthusiasm from many prospective buyers for Silicon Valley and Signature Banks. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. may end up having to sell assets piece by piece.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is warning that excessive fees can chip away at the cash sent to the most vulnerable consumers who opt to receive Social Security and other public benefits via prepaid cards.

After months of speculation, Truist Financial has agreed to sell 20% of its insurance brokerage subsidiary to the private-equity firm Stone Point Capital for $1.95 billion. The deal was touted as a way to provide capital for expansion and increase earnings over time.

The two banks are now targeting May 27, three months later than their previous goal. The transaction, which would create a top-six U.S. bank by asset size, was originally expected to be completed last fall.

The bank was already mulling headcount and compensation reductions in early September.

The North Carolina bank's new financing program will allow electric car buyers to include the cost of an at-home charging station in their auto loan.

After soured loans rose above the private student lender's expectations in 2022, its stock price fell 16% on Thursday. One analyst wrote that "persistent credit issues have damaged management's credibility."

In a reversal from five years ago, six of the eight biggest U.S. banks by branch count now offer the loans, which observers see as safer alternatives to payday loans.

Indexes show heightened expectations for a recession and souring loans. But executives are upbeat about middle-market businesses and overall job growth.