POWELL AGAIN CALLS FOR MORE FISCAL STIMULUS

–Fed to Keep Fully Using Monetary Tools By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell continued Tuesday to lend his support to additional fiscal stimulus, although he did not say how much is needed as Republican and Democratic legislators remained far apart on the appropriate size of further federal spending to boost […]

STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- THE HAVES GIVE THANKS, THE HAVE-NOTS WAIT IN LINE

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Wednesday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. The day before Thanksgiving, the latest economic data suggested the country is fractured economically as well as politically, with hardship increasing at the same exponential pace as virus infections while those lucky enough […]

FOMC MINUTES: MOST PARTICIPANTS WANTED TO TONE UP ASSET PURCHASES GUIDANCE

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Reserve’s top policymakers wanted to gear forward guidance more to explaining how asset purchases would remain calibrated to the state of the economy at their meeting at the beginning of the month, their minutes showed Wednesday. The suggestion for more definitive guidance, however, fell far short of expectations that the […]

ECB CHIEF ECONOMIST: RAISING EMPLOYMENT CONSISTENT WITH ECB’S PRICE STABILITY MANDATE

By Laurie Laird  LONDON (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank can pursue higher euro zone employment within the parameters of the Bank’s single mandate of achieving price stability, according to the ECB’s chief economist.  “The same factors needed to increase inflation will drive employment,” said ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane, in response to a question […]

FED’S BULLARD: MON POLICY ‘GREAT’ BUT CAN ‘REDOUBLE’ QE EFFORTS IF NEEDED

–Fed Established Expectations No Rate Hikes ‘For A Long Time” –Fed, Tsy Have Flexibility To Deal Wtih Renewed Financial Stress if Needed –Economy Holding Up; Expect Above Trend Growth Q4, 1st half –Pandemic Doesn’t Necessarily Impede Output, Employment By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard Tuesday spoke hopefully […]

STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- A TRUMP GOODBYE SPEECH IN THE WORKS?

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Monday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. ·        A Monday night to remember, when Joe Biden won the presidency, sort of. It was a time for Biden supporters to celebrate all over again. They didn’t but they could have. The […]

STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- WHAT’S WORTH $18,818.10?

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Friday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. Friday night and such shrill warnings from every side. Donald Trump is trashing democracy, says CNN. Governors imposing lockdowns and school closings are trashing democracy, says Fox News. Why doesn’t everyone acknowledge the […]

STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- HISTORIC AND DARK, THE BATTLE INTENSIFIES

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Thursday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. The charm and wonder of Donald Trump’s machinations to tarnish the presidency of Joe Biden took a decidedly darker turn Thursday as the president took a step that might become more than a […]

STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- THE ELECTIONS WERE FRAUD-FREE? YOU’RE FIRED.

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Tuesday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. “He had rid himself of the red sickness of battle.” So wrote Stephen Crane, in “The Red Badge of Courage.” Which relates to this presidential tweet: “The recent statement by Chris Krebs on […]

DATA FLASH: RETAIL SALES GROWTH SLOWS, UP 0.3% IN OCTOBER

–Retail Sales Ex-Motor Vehicles Rise Only 0.3%; Clothing Sales Reverse–Industrial Production Jumps By 1.1% as Utilities Production Rebounds–Business Inventories Up 0.7% in September, Business Sales Up 0.6% By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Retail sales rose only modestly in October, a much smaller increase than in previous months, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. Total retail […]