US credit card balances rose by $44 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 to $1.28 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Mortgage debt climbed $98 billion to $13.2 trillion over the same period. Goldman Sachs' chief US economist David Mericle says the figures underscore a housing affordability problem.

On a recent earnings call, JPMorgan CFO Jeremy Barnum warned that imposing price controls on credit card interest would significantly restrict access to credit, especially for consumers who need it most. Earlier this month, Donald Trump proposed a 10% cap for one year, and bank stocks dipped; Sen. Elizabeth Warren told CNBC card issuers made $150 billion in profits last year.

On January 22, 2026, according to the Department of Justice, TD Bank assistant store manager Wilfredo Aquino, 47, pleaded guilty to aiding a money‑laundering network. From 2019 to 2021, he processed about 1,680 official bank checks over $10,000, failed to identify leader Da Ying Sze on currency transaction reports, received gift cards totaling over $11,000, and faces up to 20 years in prison.

On January 17, 2026, Bank of America's Savita Subramanian said at a 2026 outlook meeting that consumer staples and lower price-point retailers could strongly outperform the wider stock market if the Federal Reserve keeps cutting interest rates. She added that a shift toward more populist policies ahead of next year's midterm elections may further support a rebound in broader consumer spending.

NextGen Healthcare has agreed to a court-approved settlement that could pay up to $7,500 to patients impacted by a cyberattack in March and April 2023. The incident allegedly allowed a third-party attacker to access sensitive personal data, including Social Security numbers, leading victims to claim ongoing costs for credit monitoring and other protective measures. The settlement fund is designated to reimburse verifiable, unreimbursed expenses that victims consider directly linked to the breach.

On December 20, 2025, JPMorgan Chase's Dubravko Lakos said in a CNBC interview that the S&P 500 could climb to 8,000 in 2026 if the Federal Reserve eases more than one additional time. If the Fed delivers only one further cut, the bank's target is 7,000–7,500. Lakos added that rate reductions may support weaker parts of a "k-shaped" economy.