FOMC DELIVERS ITS QTR POINT CUT DESPITE ‘RISING’ ECONOMY
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee Wednesday delivered a bare-bones statement that aside from the expected quarter-point rate cut information contained less than usual characterizations of the economy, other than activity is “rising,” the labor market continues to be strong and inflation remains below target. The one additional nugget was that the balance […]
FOMC BEGINS WITH CASE FOR RATE CUT STILL NOT CLEAR CUT
–The Boeing 737 MAX Rate Cut? By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – If the Federal Open Market Committee wanted some cover to back out of a rate cut Wednesday it could look no farther than toward the Treasury Department which Monday declared, “Downside risks in the second half of 2019 appear to be lessening.” Of […]
FED’S BEIGE BK: ‘MODEST PACE’ WITH SOME STAGNATION
–No Growth Reported for Chicago, Cleveland Districts. –Some Manufacturers, Information Firms in Northeast Cut Jobs WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Reserve’s “Beige Book” summary Wednesday of economic activity through July 8 showed “modest” advances along with stagnation in some Districts, with an overall reading that was positive although little changed. Compiled by the San Francisco […]
FED’S POWELL REINFORCES THE ASSUMPTIONS OF A JULY RATE CUT
–Fed Wants to ‘Use its Tools’ To Keep Expansion Going By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) Market assumptions of a July 31 rate cut became even more entrenched Thursday with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s renewed assertion the central bank is ready to consider more accommodation in the face of signs of weakness elsewhere in the […]
FED’S POWELL HINTS AN INSURANCE RATE CUT; MUCH DATA YET TO COME
–‘Committed to Using Our Tools’ to Keep Expansion Going By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell came to Capitol Hill Wednesday to emphasize those cross currents of uncertainty still “weigh on the economy” and while never uttering the words “insurance” or “rate cut,” he repeated how important he feels it is […]
FED’S MESTER: U.S. Q2 SLOWDOWN NOT SUFFICIENT TO TRIGGER RATE CUT
By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – While U.S. growth appears to have weakened over the second quarter, the current slowdown is insufficient to trigger a reduction in interest rates, according to Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester. “Given the current level of the funds rate and my current baseline outlook,” interest rates represent an “appropriate […]
FED’S POWELL THREADS NEEDLE, NO PROMISES YET STRONGER CASE FOR CUTS
–More Uncertainty And Ready to ‘Act as Appropriate’ By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell Wednesday carefully refrained from promising rate cuts while suggesting they have more support amid increased uncertainty about growth, inflation and international developments – all in the context of a well behaving economy. “We are quite mindful […]
FOMC: ‘TO ACT AS APPROPRIATE;’ ‘PATIENCE’ GETS THE AXE
–‘Uncertainties About This Outlook Have Increased’ –St. Louis Fed’s Bullard Dissents WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee Wednesday decided not to cut rates, triggering one member’s dissent, and promised only to “act as appropriate” while excising the word “patience.” The Committee generally stayed with its outlook but said “uncertainties” have increased. St. Louis […]
ANALYSIS: THE SADNESS OF BEING MERELY THE FEDERAL RESERVE
By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Any clinical look at today’s economy and markets would have to acknowledge something unusual is happening, even that the world of money and international transactions may be hurtling into a future that is mottled with serious undefined risk. Mario Draghi said as much as he concluded his ECB news […]
FED’S BEIGE BK SURVEY SEES ‘SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT’
–Hardly a Mention of Trade WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The modestly expanding national economy was on course through mid May, at least before the latest Mexican tariff threats and the massive Midwest flooding, showing a “slight improvement” with the possible exception of the St. Louis and Dallas districts, the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book survey showed Wednesday. […]