TRANSCRIPT: Fed’s Powell Says Quarter-Point Cut ‘Risk Management’ Rather Than Reaction to Actual Jobs Deterioriation
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is a transcript of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s post-FOMC news conference Wednesday: Recent indicators suggest that growth of economic activity has moderated. GEP rose at a pace of around one and a half percent in the first half of the year, down from 2.5 percent last year. The moderation […]
FOMC POLICY STATEMENT – As expected, with quarter-point rate cut followed by dot-plot expectations for two more this year
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee’s Wednesday policy statement: Recent indicators suggest that growth of economic activity moderated in the first half of the year. Job gains have slowed, and the unemployment rate has edged up but remains low. Inflation has moved up and remains somewhat elevated. The Committee seeks to achieve maximum […]
NY Fed’s Williams, Other Fed Officials, Hint at Growing Likelihood of Sept. 17 Rate Cut
– Williams Puts More Weight on Downside Job Risks than Upside Inflation Risks – Williams: Must Move Funds Rate Toward Neutral, But Gives No Time Frame By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – By putting more emphasis on risks to full employment than on inflation threats, New York Federal Reserve Bank President John Williams seemed to […]
Fed’s Powell in Jackson Hole Hints at Coming Federal Funds Rate Adjustment
– Says FOMC Can Proceed ‘Carefully’ But Cites Greater Job Risks – Announces Significant Shifts in FOMC’s Monetary Policy Framework By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell hinted Friday that the Federal Open Market Committee could resume lowering short-term interest rates when the Fed’s rate-setting body meets in mid-September. Powell made […]
Fed Officials Still Divided, Unsure About When and How Much To Cut Interest Rates
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve officials have continued this week to muse about cutting interest rates for the first time since December when the Fed’s rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee meets in mid- September, but the FOMC remains divided and unsure. Despite an uptick in inflation, labor market worries have come to […]
Fed Officials Rethinking ‘Appropriate’ Monetary Policy After Weak July Jobs Data
– Gov. Cook Calls Jobs Report ‘Concerning’ – Could Mark ‘A Turning Point’ – Cook Also Sees ‘Quite Elevated’ Stocks as Potential Threat to Financial Stability – Daly Fears ‘Softening’ Labor Market; Must ‘Adjust’ Rates ‘In Coming Months’ – Collins Speaks About ‘Wait and See’ Approach Among Economic Players By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – […]
FOMC Keeps 4.25-4.50% Funds Rate; 2 Governors Dissent in Favor of Cut
– Governors Waller, Bowman Preferred Immediate 25 Basis Point Rate Cut – Powell: ‘More Neutral’ Policy May Be Justified If ‘Downside Risks’ To Jobs Increase – Powell: For Now ‘Moderately Restrictive’ Stance Leaves Fed ‘Well-Positioned’ By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Once again, Federal Reserve policymakers refused to lower short-term interest rates Wednesday in the […]
TRANSCRIPT: Fed’s Powell Stays Away From Promises of a September Rate Cut
.WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is a rough transcript of Wednesday afternoon’s post-FOMC meeting news conference with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell: Despite elevated uncertainty, the economy is in a solid position. The unemployment rate remains low and the labor market is at or near maximum employment. Inflation has been running somewhat above our 2% […]
FOMC Sees Two Governors Dissent, Favoring a Quarter Point Rate Cut
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee Wednesday, while keeping rates steady, saw the first double dissent in decades as Michelle Bowman and Chris Waller, as expected, favored a quarter point rate cut at this meeting. Otherwise, the policy statement made no reference to the likelihood of any future rate cut. It repeated uncertainty […]
Potential Powell Successor Warsh Urges Fed Rate Cuts, Balance Sheet Slashing, Regime Change
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh, one of the leading candidates to succeed Fed Chair Jerome Powell, urged both interest rate cuts and balance shrinkage as he virtually campaigned for Powell’s job in a television interview Thursday night. Warsh, who was a member of the Fed board of governors […]