FED’S POWELL: TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO RAISE INFL RATE

–Virus Resurgence to Hit First-Quarter Economy By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell Wednesday said reaching the inflation target is going to take “some time” in an environment of disinflation around the world, when price pressure in any sector is no longer persistent. In the near term, however, he warned the […]

FOMC: RATES NEAR ZERO THRU 2023

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee, as expected, stood still in its latest policy statement Wednesday, accompanied by quarterly projections that saw the federal funds rate at 0.1% through 2023. The following is the text of the FOMC statement: The Federal Reserve is committed to using its full range of tools to support […]

DATA PREVIEW: RETAIL SALES, HOUSING STARTS, FED MEETING

By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The November retail sales report from the Census Bureau is the highlight among the upcoming week’s economic data with housing starts along for the ride, readings in two industries doing better than expected during the pandemic. Retail sales through October were up 5.7% from a year earlier according to […]

PREVIEW: FOMC TO REAFFIRM EASY MONEY POLICY; EXTEND FORWARD GUIDANCE TO BOND BUYING

By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – For the Federal Reserve these days, it’s all about shaping and managing expectations – expectations for indefinite continuation of ultra-accommodative monetary policy. That effort will continue at the Fed’s Dec. 15-16 Federal Open Market Committee meeting. The FOMC heads toward its final meeting of 2020 amid very unusual circumstances […]

FED’S BEIGE BK: FOUR DISTRICTS W/LITTLE OR NO GROWTH

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book survey of economic conditions from coast to coast, prepared for the final Federal Open Market Committee of the year in the middle of the month, not surprisingly Wednesday found a “modest” recovery marbled with seams of stagnancy as a resurgence of Covid-19 suppresses a lot of commerce. […]

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 […]

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 […]

NY FED’S WILLIAMS DOWNPLAYS MARKET TALK OF INFLATION RESURGENCE

By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – A key U.S. rate setter Friday poured cold water on recent market chatter of an uptick in inflation, predicting a slowdown of the economic recovery which is likely to keep a lid on price pressures.  Growth “in the fourth quarter and maybe into next year will slow somewhat,” said John […]

STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- ONWARD TO THE BIDEN EITHER-OR PRESIDENCY

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Monday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. First, everything is in the new context of Donald Trump not being Joe Biden’s problem any more. The angst of disappointment and the very emotional rejection of reality is not unexpected, surprising or […]

CLEVELAND FED’S MESTER: ECONOMY TO NEED CONTINUED MONETARY, FISCAL SUPPORT

–Fed Needs To Think About How Low Rates Affect Financial Risks By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Although the U.S. economy has been recovering “faster than anticipated,” the Federal Reserve still needs the assistance of fiscal policy in returning to full employment and a more acceptable inflation pace, Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester […]