BOCA RATON, Fla.—Credit unions are entering a new era of regulatory uncertainty as the Trump Administration pares back the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s enforcement powers, leaving states to fill the vacuum with their own, often conflicting, consumer protection rules.
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WASHINGTON— Credit union auto lenders might have a reason to look ahead to the holidays with cautious optimism. After a sluggish year for vehicle financing, a combination of falling interest rates, pent-up demand, and renewed consumer confidence could spark a year-end rebound in loan activity, analysts are forecasting.
PLANO, Texas—The federal government’s sweeping reductions in force (RIFs)—the largest mass terminations in modern U.S. history—are beginning to ripple through the broader economy, with potential consequences for household finances, consumer spending, and credit union balance sheets, says one economist.
TROY, Mich.—Employees are “quiet quitting.” Daters are “ghosting.” And now, members are doing something similar with their money—they’re “soft switching.”
WASHINGTON — When OMB Director Russell Vought recently stated he plans to shut down the CFPB within the next two to three months, the credit union world sat up. From legal obstacles to operational shockwaves, analysts and advocates are scrambling to assess what such a move would mean for credit unions—and whether it could even happen.
MILWAUKEE—The U.S. economy is likely to stay on a split path through 2026—steady growth at the top, but persistent financial strain for many households—according to Bill Handel, chief economist at Raddon, a Fiserv company.
WASHINGTON—A federal judge on Wednesday halted the Trump Administration’s plan to lay off thousands of federal employees during the ongoing government shutdown, ruling the effort appears politically driven and legally improper, POLITICO reported.
WASHINGTON—The Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund has effectively gone dark after the Treasury Department’s Friday evening reduction in force (RIF) eliminated its entire staff, halting all operations. No grants are being issued, applications processed, or technical assistance provided as the Fund’s work comes to a complete standstill.
WASHINGTON—The Trump Administration on Friday began carrying out large-scale federal layoffs—formally known as reductions in force (RIFs)—marking the first mass terminations of federal employees during a government shutdown in modern U.S. history. But among the most consequential developments for credit unions and community lenders was news that the Treasury Department’s RIF has reportedly eliminated all staff of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.
WASHINGTON—As mass federal layoffs loom amid the prolonged government shutdown, financial experts warn the potential cuts could weaken regulatory oversight and heighten systemic risk—possibly setting the stage for another banking crisis.
