International taxes

The International Monetary Fund lowered its economic growth projections for 2025, citing policy uncertainty. It also urged central banks to stand ready to use macroprudential tools to facilitate lending in a potential recession.

Even with various tariff pauses and exemptions, suppliers are raising prices due to ongoing policy uncertainty, and consumers also are altering their behavior.

Fifth Third Bancorp revised its guidance, but still expects record net interest income for 2025, even as commercial clients signal that economic volatility will drive up inflation.

The super-regional bank cited "a material slowdown" in investment banking and trading income as one reason for the lower revenue forecast. Interest rates are also a factor, executives said.

As tariff turbulence continues, BofA is predicting a slowdown, not a downturn. But America's second-largest bank is also signaling that it's prepared for a more severe scenario.

Bessent reiterated his interpretation of the decline being mainly a product of deleveraging, saying he had no evidence that sovereigns were behind the drop.

Federal Reserve Board member Christopher Waller said he would not be deterred from classifying inflation as "transitory" despite the board's recent experience underestimating inflationary pressures.

White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett dismissed the idea of a recession looming this year.

Lenders and borrowers have taken advantage of the dips in interest rates, but the industry has long-warned of pain for players like home builders.

President Trump placed a 90-day pause on most of his sweeping tariff package, but for banks and other financial market participants, the threat of volatility remains.