A bottleneck at the Small Business Administration in clearing federal small business loans because of the ongoing federal government shutdown is becoming an increasingly urgent issue for small and even some midsized banks.

The Federal Open Market Committee is expected to announce guidance on the end of its quantitative tightening program later Wednesday. As that process draws to a close, experts are questioning when and how the central bank should use its balance sheet to smooth economic stress in the future.

A proposal from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency would roll back Biden-era recovery planning rules for banks, leaving them with broad discretion to determine their own recovery protocols.

Bill Pulte's X post has the industry excited that loan level price adjustments could change, but the impact would not be as beneficial as some think, KBW said.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its latest Consumer Price Index reading Friday morning, showing inflation rose by 0.3% in September, slightly below August's pace. The report also found core inflation steady at 3.0%, even as shelter costs eased and gasoline prices spiked.

The Department of Justice has filed a motion opposing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employee union's appeal of an August D.C. Circuit ruling allowing the administration to fire up to 90% of the agency's workforce.

Six trade groups warned the administration layoffs and funding freezes could dampen lending, threatening the administration's goal of economic growth.

The head of the government-sponsored enterprises' oversight agency also asked existing investors to review risk factors as officials eye a new public offering.

Federal Reserve Gov. Michael Barr said in a speech Thursday that he fears the gradual pace of price increases from tariffs being passed on to consumers may prolong the one-time inflationary effect of the tariffs to the point where it affects consumers' inflation expectations.

House Financial Services Committee ranking member Maxine Waters, D-Calif., asked bank regulators to give banks the supervisory clearance to extend lines of credit and modify loan terms for federal employees furloughed after the government shut down last week.

Legal experts say the Supreme Court's decision not to immediately rule on a request to remove Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook from office suggests that, whatever the court's views on independent agencies may be, it views the central bank differently.

President Trump said big homebuilders are sitting on a record 2 million empty lots, and asked Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to help restore the American Dream.

The ongoing government shutdown prevented the Bureau of Labor Statistics from releasing its September jobs report Friday, but job growth appears to be softening. The lack of reliable government data comes as the Federal Reserve mulls further interest rate cuts. 

The Supreme Court said Wednesday that it would defer President Donald Trump's request for a stay until after oral arguments scheduled for January 2026, allowing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to remain on the board at least until then.

The FHA extended the mandatory implementation date for technical updates but things are still changing on Oct. 1, when the government could shut down.

Senate Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., led a group of congressional Democrats in a letter to bank regulators telling them that loosening capital rules wouldn't improve the Treasury market's functioning.

The CDFI Fund is updating definitions of eligible activity to be considered for the funds, including removing climate-focused financing and references to race and ethnicity.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau received pointed pushback from banks in their public comments on a proposed rule that would slash the number of nonbanks being supervised in four key markets.

Federal Reserve Governor Stephan Miran floated the idea of conducting monetary policy with an eye toward the neutral rate and suggested that the president's immigration and fiscal policies will exert downward pressure on inflation.

Acting CFPB Director Russ Vought has managed to neuter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau through a series of actions. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., played a major role by cutting funding in half.