Recalls: high chairs and two battery-powered toys lead five safety recalls
The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced five recalls on Oct. 22, three involving children's products.
National
FDA approves bepirovirsen, a new kind of treatment for chronic hepatitis B
In two trials, about a quarter of patients met the requirements to stop their existing medicine.
FDA grants accelerated approval to an immunotherapy that may let some rectal cancer patients avoid chemotherapy, radiation and surgery
The approval covers stage II or III tumors with a specific DNA-repair defect, about 3% of locally advanced rectal cancers.
Texas asks the Treasury for tax deadline relief after July storms in 62 counties
A federal major disaster declaration covers 23 of the counties.
Primark children's coin purses recalled over phthalate levels
About 2,100 101 Dalmatians faux leather coin purses, model 2595301, are recalled for a refund.
Hatsan Blitz air rifles recalled because they can fire unexpectedly
About 16,170 Blitz and Blitz 777 air rifles sold from February 2020 through March 2026 are recalled for a replacement.
Scotch thermal laminators recalled over fire hazard
About 53,634 Scotch laminators, model TL1302Z, can overheat; 3M offers a refund.
Adult portable bed rails recalled over entrapment and asphyxiation risk
About 200 Xalirium adult portable bed rails sold by usOpal are recalled for a refund.
Bedside sleepers recalled over infant suffocation and entrapment risk
About 248 Papablic convertible bedside sleepers, model PAPA03001AI, are recalled for a refund.
Consumer bureau to investigate nine large banks named in a federal report on closing accounts
The CFPB said the OCC report found the banks restricted services over customers' political or religious beliefs or lawful businesses.
Texas readies flood rescue teams as Hurricane Simon's remnants bring a flash flood threat to West Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott activated state emergency resources ahead of storms expected from the Panhandle south and east through midweek.
Update: Isaias came ashore near Destin as a Category 2 hurricane; at least two dead, hundreds of thousands without power
Isaias made landfall near Destin, Fla., on Oct. 9 with 105 mph winds, then weakened to a post-tropical storm.
SEC proposes letting registered funds cross-trade most fixed-income securities again
The proposal would amend Rule 17a-7 and add aggregated reporting of funds' cross trades.
Update: Isaias, now a Category 3 hurricane, nears landfall on the Florida Panhandle
Isaias had 115 mph winds and was expected ashore on the western Florida Panhandle the evening of Oct. 9.
Virgin Islands governor signs 15 bills and vetoes a shift of WAPA fuel-tax money to hospitals
Gov. Bryan approved behavioral health and road funding; he said the vetoed bill could weaken the utility's finances.
Blue Origin to build a $555 million campus in Hutto, Texas, with 2,000 jobs, governor says
Texas extended an $18.2 million Texas Enterprise Fund grant for the manufacturing and operations campus.
Utah gets a federal disaster declaration for floods that followed the Cottonwood Fire
FEMA aid will help Beaver and Piute counties repair at least $47 million in possible eligible damage.
Fed orders American Express to fix its anti-money-laundering program
A consent order cites failures to detect and report suspicious activity; the OCC separately penalized Amex's bank.
Eight recalls: swing seats, trimmer mowers, dressers and infant bath seats among them
The CPSC announced eight recalls Oct. 8; four involve products that violate mandatory safety standards.
Hurricane Isaias heads for the northern Gulf Coast; Alabama orders coastal visitors out
Isaias is forecast to strengthen before landfall late Oct. 9 or early Oct. 10; Alabama declared an emergency in 40 counties.
Public notice: VA lowers interest rate on Native American Direct Loans
VA lowered the Native American Direct Loan rate to 2.47% as of Oct. 1.
Utah governor orders a 'pro-human' framework for AI in state agencies
Gov. Spencer Cox ordered AI literacy training and safeguards for human agency and privacy across Utah agencies.
Texas Energy Fund lends to 452-megawatt gas plant in Reeves County
Texas made its ninth Energy Fund loan, for a West Texas gas plant meant to power about 110,000 homes from 2027.
SEC seeks final judgment against former Western Asset co-CIO in cherry-picking case
A consent judgment against Ken Leech would return $103 million to harmed investors, the SEC said.
Public notice: FDIC releases July CRA ratings for state nonmember banks
The FDIC published its list of state nonmember banks rated in July 2026 under the Community Reinvestment Act.
Texas opens applications for $31 million in veterans' assistance grants
Texas nonprofits and local agencies serving veterans can apply until Dec. 2 for $31 million in state grants.
Update: SEC crypto custody plan would allow adviser self-custody under conditions
The SEC proposal would let advisers hold crypto themselves when no custodian is available, with safeguards and audits.
Virgin Islands governor signs $739.2 million general fund budget for fiscal 2027
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. signed the territory's fiscal 2027 budget bills, with $739.2 million from the General Fund.
Update: Fed's insider-lending proposal would raise board-approval threshold to $2 million
The Fed's Regulation O proposal would lift the board-approval threshold for insider loans to $2 million; comments close Nov. 4.
Update: Fed records show an earlier application and approval for Fleur Capital's bank deal
Fleur Capital's purchase of Simmesport State Bank was listed as approved in January before a second application this summer.
Update: national financial literacy strategy sets four priorities, new working groups
The strategy the CFPB backed, approved Sept. 18, creates four working groups and promotes Trump Accounts.
Public notice: CFPB backs new national financial literacy strategy
The CFPB backs a new national financial literacy strategy that includes scam and fraud education.
Public notice: Fed approves Fleur Capital's acquisition of Simmesport State Bank
The Fed approved Fleur Capital Corporation's application to acquire Simmesport State Bank in Louisiana.
Public notice: Fed extends comment period on bank insider-lending rule to Nov. 4
The Fed extended to Nov. 4 the comment period on its proposal to modernize Regulation O, its insider-lending rule.
Public notice: Fed written agreement with Ontario Bancorporation
The Federal Reserve announced a written agreement with Ontario Bancorporation Inc. of Ontario, Wis., dated Sept. 24, 2026.
Five Texas community colleges approved for Workforce Pell; $10.4 million grant to expand programs
Five Texas colleges can offer Workforce Pell aid for nine short programs, and a $10.4 million grant will expand them.
VA research: a new way to deliver autoimmune treatment, and virtual pain care for rural women veterans
VA researchers reported a microparticle that may better deliver an anti-inflammatory compound and a helpful virtual pain program.
SEC proposes custody rules for crypto held by investment advisers and funds
The SEC proposed rules on how advisers and funds may hold crypto for clients, replacing a broader 2023 plan it withdrew.
Tennessee's attempt to execute Christa Pike fails; UN rights chief urges no further attempt
Tennessee halted its execution of Christa Pike after two failed rounds of lethal injection; UN rights officials urge no new attempt.
Matched by algorithm, steered by salespeople: SEC penalizes adviser-finder Zoe Financial
People who came to Zoe Financial for help finding an investment adviser answered an online questionnaire, and an algorithm picked their matches.
A Fed governor's warning rides along with the new stablecoin rules
When the Federal Reserve proposed rules for bank-issued stablecoins, Governor Michael Barr backed the plan but singled out one standard he wants revisited.
Fed proposes reserve and capital rules for bank-issued stablecoins
The Federal Reserve has proposed rules for stablecoins issued through the banks it supervises, carrying out part of the 2025 GENIUS Act.
Fed bars former Maryland teller supervisor after $246,000 theft
The Federal Reserve has barred a former teller supervisor at a Sandy Spring Bank branch in Silver Spring, Md., from working in banking without its approval.
IPO money quintupled in the first half, mostly on one deal
U.S. issuers raised more than $137 billion through 208 initial public offerings in the first half of 2026, up from 180 IPOs raising about $27 billion a year…
SEC: Pension-plan worker's fund scheme took $860,000 from South Florida police
A Port St. Lucie, Fla., man and his company raised about $860,000 from at least 18 investors, many of them current or retired South Florida law enforcement…
BancFirst wins approval to buy SpiritBank after a Tulsa lending objection is heard
The Federal Reserve has approved BancFirst Corp.'s purchase of Spirit BankCorp, adding SpiritBank's six branches in Tulsa, Sapulpa and Bristow to Oklahoma's…
SEC penalizes OTC stock trading operator, its second settlement in two years
The SEC has censured OTC Link LLC, the OTC Markets Group unit that runs a trading system for over-the-counter stocks, and ordered it to pay a $575,000 penalty.
Fed lifts its 2024 agreement with Oklahoma's Bank of Eufaula
The Federal Reserve has ended its 2024 written agreement with SNB Bancshares and its subsidiary, Bank of Eufaula, both of Eufaula, Okla.
Fed bars three former bank and card-company employees
The Federal Reserve on Sept. 18 barred three former financial-industry employees from banking under consent orders: a former Northstar Bank employee in Bad…
What the SEC's "innovation exemption" means for tokenized stocks
The SEC has opened a five-year window for blockchain-based versions of U.S.-listed stocks to trade on new "tokenized securities venues," which may run…
Fed raises rates for the first time since 2023
The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate a quarter point on Sept. 16, to a range of 3.75% to 4%, its first increase since 2023.
SEC proposes ending the 1942 rule that lets shareholders put proposals on company ballots
The SEC has proposed eliminating Rule 14a-8, which since 1942 has let qualifying shareholders put their proposals on a company's annual-meeting ballot.
Regulators rewrite vendor-risk guidance and flag community banks' dependence on core providers
Four federal regulators have proposed replacing their guidance on how banks and credit unions manage outside vendors with principles-based guidance tailored…
Regulators extend exam cycles for about 188 more community banks
Regulators have made about 188 more community banks eligible to be examined every 18 months instead of every 12.
SEC: New Jersey man's $16 million Ponzi scheme targeted a Ghanaian Christian community
The SEC has charged Ernest Ossei Boateng and two New Jersey companies he controls with running a Ponzi-like scheme that raised about $16 million from more…
Fed lifts its order on United Texas Bank, but a new regulator's order remains
The Federal Reserve has ended its 2024 cease-and-desist order against United Texas Bank of Dallas, but the bank remains under an order from its new regulator.
SEC proposes scrapping the rule that limits political donations by money managers
The SEC has proposed eliminating its 2010 "pay-to-play" rule, which bars investment advisers from being paid to manage a state or local government's money,…
SEC charges three former Tricolor executives in $1.9 billion subprime auto collapse
The SEC has charged three former executives of Tricolor, a Dallas-area used-car dealer and subprime lender, with defrauding investors as the company raised…
SEC proposes a rulebook for raising money by selling crypto tokens
The SEC has proposed "Regulation Crypto Assets," its first rules written specifically for projects that raise money by selling crypto tokens.
Two SEC cases filed four days apart accuse pre-IPO fund sellers of hidden markups
Two SEC cases filed four days apart describe the same risk in the booming market for shares of private companies before they go public: investors paying far…