BANK OF ENGLAND EXPANDS QE PROGRAMME; LEAVES RATES UNCHANGED
— Forecasts Q4 GDP Contraction Raises Speculation Negative Rates in 2021 By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The Bank of England Thursday expanded its bond-buying programme but left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at its latest policy meeting, acknowledging the downside risks to forecasts as a second wave of coronavirus grips the country. The Bank […]
STATUS CHECK – FROM THE SEAT OF POWER, POWERLESSNESS AS VOTES TOTALED
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Wednesday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. The networks plodded on Wednesday night, with nothing much new to report, as talking heads artfully kept the ball rolling, even if it was in circles, waiting. President Trump was watching, likely clicking […]
STATUS CHECK – ‘WE’RE GOING TO WIN’ THEY BOTH SAID
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Tuesday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. · The election is far from decided at this midnight hour but it’s clear the blue wave was a fantasy, that the race turned out to be very tight with most states that […]
EUROZONE OCTOBER MANUFACTURING PMIS HIT TWO-YEAR HIGH
–Germany Accounts For Much Of Rise By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) — Business activity at European factories accelerated to a more than two-year high in October, according to purchasing managers’ indexes released by IHS Markit on Monday, confirming the European Central Bank’s forecast of continuing industrial strength. The Eurozone manufacturing PMI jumped to 54.8 last […]
STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY – COMING UP, CATHARSIS, HEALING?
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Friday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. · Saturday makes it three days. Three days until catharsis, healing and finally a truce in the culture wars. You could see it on Fox News, where Sean Hannity was mellowing, praising candidate […]
BANK OF ITALY’S VISCO: EZ DEFLATION RISK MUST NOT BE OVERLOOKED’
By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews) – The Bank of Italy governor Ignazio Visco warned on Friday “not to overlook” the risk of deflation in the eurozone even though current deflationary risks are lower than they were six months ago. “The probability of deflation is still very lower, however, the share of operators expecting an inflation […]
STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY – STOWING THE AMMO BEFORE ELECTION DAY
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Thursday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. · Does anyone still care that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin exchanged letters, each listing the deficiencies in the other’s position on pandemic relief. Suffice to say they’re far […]
ECB TEES UP DECEMBER EASING; LEAVES POLICY ON HOLD AT LATEST MEETING
–Lagarde Leaves Door Open to Earlier Eemergency Meeting If Needed –‘Very Attentive to Exchange Rates’ By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank Thursday pledged to “recalibrate” its monetary policy by the end of the year, but left the door open to an emergency consultation of its rate-setting body should the economic picture […]
FOMC APT TO STAND PAT FOR NOW, BUT FUTURE FISSURES EMERGING
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – The Federal Reserve is about to hold its second Federal Open Market Committee meeting under its new monetary policy framework amid strange and rapidly changing circumstances. No policy change is likely on Nov. 5. In other words, the FOMC will almost certainly leave the federal funds rate in the […]
ECB LEAVES POLICY UNCHANGED; SUGGESTS DECEMBER EASING
By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank made no changes to its monetary policy at its rate-setting meeting on Thursday, but suggested that a package of easing measures could come before year end. Unusually, the Governing Council’s opened its press release by acknowledging the perilous state of the eurozone economy: “In the […]