LAGARDE HINTS AT REINTERPRETATION OF ECB MANDATE

–– Repeats HICP May Not Accurately Reflect Eurozone Inflation By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The leader of the European Central Bank hinted at a reinterpretation of the Bank’s price stability mandate and raised questions over the accuracy of the Bank’s key measure of inflation. “We have to be smart about the components that go […]

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 […]

BOE’S BAILEY URGES GREATER PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN COVID RECOVERY

— No Mention of Monetary Policy in Remarks to CityUK Conference By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The governor of the Bank of England has called for enhanced private investment to finance the UK’s economic recovery, lamenting low levels of business investment that pre-date the Covid slowdown. “We live in a time where there appears […]

STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- TESLA NEWS VS MODERNA NEWS – A TIE?

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Monday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. Was the big news of the day Moderna’s 94.5% efficacious vaccine candidate, sending that company’s stock up almost 10%, or Tesla being granted membership in the S&P 500 club beginning  Dec. 21, an […]

TOP ECB OFFICIAL DOWNPLAYS SYMMETRICAL INFLATION TARGET, RATE CUTS

—Governing Council’s Mersch Expresses Lukewarm Support for Lagarde By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) — A top European Central banker Monday expressed opposition to a symmetrical inflation target and raised questions over the efficacy of further rate cuts, while withholding full support for the central bank’s leader. “Symmetry does not mean that we would engage in […]

STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- DIVERSITY OF OPINION OR MUTUAL HATRED?

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Friday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. Quote of the week: “You know what’s really uncomfortable and annoying? When you die.” That’s New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, of course. The quote has been played through the day cablewise so it’s […]

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- ELVIS IS LEAVING THE BUILDING – NOW WHAT?

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Thursday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. A day like other days since the election, a president retweeting  millions of Trump votes were “deleted” and Twitter tagging that and others as “disputed.” The retweet was from a posting by the […]

ECB, BOE SEE NO SILVER BULLET IN COVID VACCINE

–Both CenBanks Expected to Adjust Policy in December –Fed’s Powell Sees More Tech-Oriented, Less Job-Oriented Recovery By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – Europe’s top central bankers welcomed the positive news on a Covid vaccine unveiled earlier this week, but warned that the region faces more economic pain before an inoculation becomes widely available. European Central […]