Banking and Lending
How the Fed Losing Its Independence Could Affect Your Everyday Life
By Christopher Rugaber | The Associated Press | September 3, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkPresident Donald Trump’s attempt to fire a member of the Federal Reserve’s governing board has raised alarms among economists and legal experts who see it as the biggest threat to the central bank’s independence in decades.
Fed Chair Powell Faces Fresh Threats to Independence Amid Potential Rate Cuts
By Christopher Rugaber | The Associated Press | August 25, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkNow that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has signaled that the central bank could soon cut its key interest rate, he faces a new challenge: how to do it without seeming to cave to the White House’s demands.
Inflation or Jobs: Federal Reserve Divided Over Competing Concerns
By Christopher Rugaber | The Associated Press | August 18, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkOne major question will be front and center for Federal Reserve policymakers as they prepare for an annual conference in Jackson, Wyoming next week and a crucial policy meeting in September: Which is a bigger problem for the economy right now, stubborn inflation or slower hiring?
Lower Mortgage Rates Adding Competition, Not Inventory
By Sam Lattof | August 14, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkWith mortgage rates on the decline, an already competitive residential real estate market is set to grown even fiercer in Connecticut.
Citizens Names New CFO
By Sam Lattof | August 13, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkCitizens Bank has tapped a Barclays Bank veteran to be its lead financial executive.
Trump Opens Door to 401k Investments in Real Estate, Crypto
By Ken Sweet | The Associated Press | August 11, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkAn executive order signed Thursday by President Donald Trump could give real estate projects, private equity and cryptocurrency firms long-sought access to a pool of funds worth trillions.
Chase Plans Five More Branches in Connecticut
August 5, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkChase Bank says it is planning to open five more branches in Connecticut over the next two years, adding to its existing 62-branch total.
Bank with Big Hartford Presence Expands in Mass.
By Sam Lattof | August 4, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkA division of a major presence in the Hartford-area banking market is proposing to merge with a rural Massachusetts lender to create a $6.69 billion-asset institution.
Boosting Satisfaction in the Mortgage Process
By Sam Lattof | July 31, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkWhile customer satisfaction remains high for mortgage originators, customers are increasingly dissatisfied with their mortgage servicers. Andrew Marquis, senior vice president at Cleveland-based CrossCountry Mortgage, thinks the issue may be that originators have set the customer service bar too high.
Connecticut Home Equity Jumps in Second Quarter
By Sam Lattof | July 31, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkConnecticut saw the largest annual increase nationwide in the proportion of equity-rich homes in the second quarter of 2025.
First County Bank CEO Retiring
By Sam Lattof | July 30, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkFirst County Bank CEO Robert J. Granata will retire in July 2026.
Federal Reserve Likely to Stand Pat On Rates This Week, Deepening the Gulf Between Powell and Trump
By Christopher Rugaber | The Associated Press | July 30, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkThe Federal Reserve is expected to leave its short-term interest rate unchanged on Wednesday for the fifth straight meeting.
Sikorsky Credit Union Plans New Branch in Fairfield
By Sam Lattof | July 29, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkCurrently in the design phase, Sikorsky Credit Union plans a new branch opening in Fairfield in 2026.
OpenAI Exec Warns of AI Voice Fraud Crisis in Banking
By The Associated Press | July 24, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkThe financial industry faces a “significant impending fraud crisis” because of the technology’s ability to bypass security checks and move money, Sam Altman said.
More Americans Shift Money from Savings to Investment Accounts, Study Says
By Josh Boak | The Associated Press | July 22, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkNew research identifies a trend that helps to explain the resilience of the U.S. economy after a bout of high inflation and recent uncertainty due to tariffs.
Employees Say Consumer Watchdog Now Toothless
By Ken Sweet | The Associated Press | July 18, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkCFPB employees say they have been forbidden from doing any work by directive from the White House. Some bankers had accused the agency of overreach.
A CFO Looking for Opportunity in an Uncertain Time
By Sam Lattof | July 17, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkJeffrey Culp, the first occupant of Liberty Bank’s new deputy CFO role, is looking for avenues where the bank can scale upwards despite the uncertainty currently buffeting the U.S. economy.
The Tariff-Driven Inflation that Economists Feared Begins to Emerge
By Christopher Rugaber and Josh Boak | The Associated Press | July 16, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkInflation rose last month to its highest level since February as President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs push up the cost of everything from groceries and clothes to furniture and appliances.
Finex Credit Union Lures Mass. Banker to Be New CEO
By James Sanna | July 15, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkA longtime senior executive at a major Boston-area bank is decamping to East Hartford for his next career move.
JPMorgan Posts Strong Second Quarter Amid Tariff Warning
By Matt Ott | The Associated Press | July 15, 2025 | Reprints | Unlock LinkCEO Jamie Dimon noted that plenty of risks to the U.S. economy remain, including trade uncertainty, geopolitical conflicts and federal government deficits.





