NewsWatch Today

Even as rates stay higher and competition for deposits remains strong, fueling margin pressure, community bank chief financial officers don’t see impending doom and focus instead on increasing other areas of income, according to the latest Independent Banker.

Registration is open for ICBA LIVE 2025, slated for March 11-14 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said “with an appropriate dialing back of policy restraint, there is good reason to think that the economy will get back to 2% inflation while maintaining a strong labor market.”

Registration is open for ICBA LIVE 2025, slated for March 11-14 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency issued a proposed rule on the housing goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) for 2025-27.

ICBA is hosting a complimentary community bank briefing on key congressional and regulatory developments.

ICBA and 10 industry associations requested that the FDIC withdraw its proposed rulemaking relating to brokered deposit restrictions. If the FDIC does not withdraw the proposed rule, the associations requested that the FDIC publish its brokered deposits data and extend the comment period by 60 days.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a decision setting aside the Federal Trade Commission’s non-compete ban and prohibiting the FTC from enforcing the rule.

ICBA and 10 industry associations requested that the FDIC extend by 60 days the comment period for its request for information on deposits. The comment deadline is currently October 7, 2024.

The latest issue of Independent Banker magazine highlights ICBA-member community banks that are celebrating their 150th, 125th, or 100th anniversary.

Community banks are indispensable in providing access to financial products and services, especially in remote or rural areas, according to Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman.

Community banks need to take formal actions to ensure discount window access, and bank management needs to understand the mechanics of discount window borrowing even if there is no immediate need for liquidity, according to the Federal Reserve.