Tariffs

Their worries center on fears the new duties could impact their personal finances, according to a new survey from home-equity investment platform Point.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he expects negotiations with trading partners over tariffs to conclude by the end of the year but acknowledged that talks with China had not yet begun.

The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation reading fell in March, but the positive reading came before new trade policies hit the economy.

President Trump suggested his sweeping tariffs would help him reduce income taxes for people making less than $200,000 a year.

The president said he had "no intention" of firing the Federal Reserve chair and promised that tariffs against Chinese imports would be lowered "substantially."

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.

Pres. Trump's decision to pause most of the tariffs has sparked a rally in the stock market, but the 10-year yield, while off of its peak, remains higher.

The tariff regime unveiled last week by President Donald Trump has injected a significant dose of uncertainty into the banking industry and unleashed the specter of an economic slowdown.

In a speech at the American Bankers Association Washington Summit Wednesday morning, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent downplayed economic risks from tariffs, floated capital reforms and urged regulatory relief for community banks.

Industry experts with a reputation for making strong bets offer some picks and predictions for mortgage investment in a volatile market.

Federal Reserve officials want to see how exactly new trade policies impact the U.S. economy before adjusting interest rates. Markets and monetarists have different ideas about what that might look like.