STATE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
GM to Delay New Carlisle EV Battery Plant Production by a Year
General Motors and Samsung SDI agreed to run the factory jointly but said production would be delayed by a year to 2027. The companies said that the $3.5 billion plant will make nickel-rich prismatic batteries that store more energy than other chemistries, lowering costs and improving driving range.
Read more from the Associated Press
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Fed's Waller: FedNow Grows to Nearly 1,000 Institutions
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said that nearly 1,000 depository institutions are using FedNow roughly a year after its implementation.
CFPB Ignores Bank Access Data in Swipe at Industry
Despite public data showing that nearly 96% of Americans live within a few miles of a bank or credit union branch, the CFPB falsely blamed bank branch closures for cash-back fees charged by major retailers.
Credit Union Buys Naming Rights for NFL Stadium
The announcement by the Washington Commanders was the latest in a series of multimillion-dollar marketing deals by credit unions that have raised questions about their tax-exempt status.
Fed's Bostic Waiting for More Data Before Rate Cut
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic has indicated that while it might be time to cut interest rates, he is awaiting more data to make a definitive decision. "I don't want us to be in a situation where we cut and then we have to raise rates again," Bostic said. "So, if I'm going to err on one side, it's going to be waiting longer just to make sure that we don't have that up and down," he added. The upcoming reports on inflation and employment will play a significant role in shaping the Fed's policy decisions at its September meeting.
Fed's Powell: 'Time Has Come' for Rate Cuts
With inflation easing and the labor market cooling, "the time has come for policy to adjust," Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said, adding that the timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data.
Investors Debate Pace of Fed Rate Cuts
Market expectations for Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts are high, with investors pricing in multiple reductions this year. However, some analysts say three cuts this year might be too aggressive, given concerns of an economic slowdown. On the other hand, other central banks could have more room to cut rates without hurting their currencies if the US cuts rates aggressively. Upcoming labor market data will be crucial in determining the Fed's course of action.
Read more from the Wall Street Journal
Judge Nixes Challenge to CFPB Small-Business Data Rule
US District Judge Randy Crane in Texas has dismissed a banking industry challenge to a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule mandating the collection and reporting of demographic data on small-business loan applications. Industry groups argued that the rule has flawed data-collection requirements and runs afoul of federal administrative law. Crane wrote, "It may well be that the final rule proves ill-advised as a policy matter, but that possibility does not itself make the final rule unlawful."