FOMC Seems Sure to Go 50 Basis Points on May 4, but After That Rate Path Uncertain
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – It now seems all but guaranteed that the Federal Reserve will raise short-term interest rates for a second straight Federal Open Market Committee meeting in early May, but it is less certain what the Fed will do thereafter. With a 50 basis point hike in the federal funds rate on May 4 considered a foregone conclusion, the real […]
Fed’s Beige Bk: ‘Robust’ Growth in KC District; Dallas at ‘Faster Clip; Otherwise ‘Moderate’
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book survey of economic activity across the country, to be reviewed in the next Federal Open Market Committee in early May, Wednesday saw only “moderate” expansion in 10 Fed districts accompanied by better performance in the Kansas City and Dallas districts. The survey, assembled by the Minneapolis Fed, […]
<strong>FOMC Minutes: Sentiment for 50 bp Rate Hike Deferred Due to Ukraine Concerns</strong><strong></strong>
– Future 50 BP Hikes Apt To Be On The Table – FOMC Made Ready For Balance Sheet Reduction With Expanded Caps By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve officials leaned heavily toward further increases in short-term interest rates at their mid-March Federal Open Market Committee meeting, but conditioned the size and pace of […]
FOMC: Likely Bal Sheet Runoff to be $60 Bln Tsys/Month, $35 Bln MBS/Month
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee minutes released Wednesday suggested a more aggressive runoff of the balance sheet than had generally been expected – at least before Gov. Lael Brainard’s more hawkish statements Tuesday – sending markets into sudden volatility as the implications were absorbed by market participants. The details of what the […]
<strong>St. Louis Fed’s Bullard: Get Funds Rate To Neutral Or Higher To Curb Inflation</strong>
– Fed Has ‘Long Ways To Go” To Hike Rates; Should Move Faster Than In Past – After Starting ‘Passive Runoff’ Of Balance Sheet May Need To Sell Assets – Despite Ukraine, U.S. Economy Will Grow Above Potential, Further Reduce Unemployment By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – With inflation “way over” the Federal Reserve’s 2% […]
Cleveland Fed’s Mester Favors Hiking Funds Rate to 2.5% This Year; More in ‘23
– Probably Need to Hike by 50 BP at Some Point; Shouldn’t Be Off the Table – Upside Inflation Risks Outweigh Downside Growth Risks From Ukraine War – Must Be Willing to Adjust Policy; Go Slower on Rate Hikes If Inflation Moderates By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester […]
Former Dove Kashkari Now Says Fed Rate Hikes May Have To Get More Aggressive
– Bullard Explains Dissent In Favor of Higher Funds Rate By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank President Neel Kashkari has built a reputation as one of the more “dovish” Fed policy-makers, but in an essay released Friday, he sounded distinctly less so. Kashkari, not a voting member of the Fed’s interest […]
FOMC Lifts Off from Zero with 25bp Rate Hike; 6 More Projected for 2022
– Powell Says FOMC May Move Faster If Needed To Reduce Inflation – Says Funds Rate Could Go ‘Beyond’ Downwardly Revised ‘Neutral’ Rate – Balance Sheet Reduction Plan Could Be Announced As Soon As May Meeting By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – After holding short-term interest rates near zero for two years to support a […]
FOMC: Qtr Point Hike As Expected; Few Specifics on Future Action
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee Wednesday fulfilled expectations for a quarter-point fed funds rate hike, the first such since 2018, accompanied by a pledged to begin pulling back Treasury and Agency securities holdings “at a coming meeting.” The text follows: Indicators of economic activity and employment have continued to strengthen. Job gains […]
FOMC Set to Proceed ‘Carefully’ on Road to Tighter Monetary Policy, But Ultimate Destination Unclear
– Must Decide Pace of Rate Hikes, Where Neutral Is, and Whether Neutral Is High Enough – Fed Getting Closer to Balance Sheet Reduction But Funds Rate Primary Policy Tool By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – It seemed virtually a foregone conclusion that the Federal Reserve would start raising short-term interest rates in mid-March after Jerome Powell’s […]