In a report released on October 25, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Martin Gruenberg announced that the number of American households without access to bank accounts has declined from 5.4% (in 2019) to 4.5% (in 2021).

As Auto Finance News noted on July 29, the cost of funds in Auto ABS should be increasing, with the increasing risk of a recession, and had been through prior weeks.

The Wall Street Journal reports that student loan servicers contracted by the federal government were instructed to hold off on sending billing notices, prompting speculation that President Biden is considering extending the loan payment moratorium past the August 31 deadline.

A recent Fitch Ratings report finds that most U.S. airports are reaching pre-pandemic passenger trends despite COVID-19 variants earlier this year. Since its last report, Fitch has revised its rating outlook for nearly all domestic airports from negative to stable. Increased debt issuances are also signaling a return to normality with many airports already coming to market in 2022.

On April 6, the Biden administration announced it will extend the student loan repayment pause through August 31, making it the sixth extension since the moratorium was introduced at the onset of the pandemic.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the federal student loan moratorium has impacted around 37 million borrowers by accumulating roughly $195 billion in student loan debt. According to a report released on March 22 by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a rise in delinquencies is expected once the freeze is lifted and payments resume May 1.

According to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), their monthly Small Business Optimism Index fell by 1.8 points to 97.1 in January, its lowest in 11-months. Inflation remained a leading concern, as were increased input costs – particularly wages – which business owners have raised (50%) or expect to raise (27%) in the coming three months

University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI), released January 28, fell 4.8%, hitting a level not seen since November 2011.

National Mortgage News reports that in late December 2021, a group of attorneys general from 20 states made allegations that certain mortgage servicers failed to offer borrowers a recently added Federal Housing Administration loan modification option as required.

The "Great Resignation" is sparking upheaval in the job market as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, and no group has been impacted more than women. New LinkedIn data finds that the number of job transitions for women surged in 2021.