Category: Central Banks

BANK OF CANADA: BUSINESS, CONSUMER SENTIMENT PLUNGE ON COVID, OIL PRICE FALL

NEW YORK (MaceNews) – Canadian business and consumer sentiment dropped in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the drop oil prices, the Bank of Canada reported Monday. The bank’s quarterly survey of businesses, conducted from mid-May to early-June, as government restrictions were starting to ease, found businesses in all regions and sectors “reported that weak […]

TEXT: STAFF BRIEFS FOMC RE YIELD CURVE CAPS, FORWARD GUIDANCE, ASSET PURCH

— Simulations Suggest Highly Accommodative Conditions ‘For Many Years’ WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee most recent meeting saw participants discuss all the pandemic-related effects and probabilities already covered in Fed speeches and comments since. However the FOMC minutes released Wednesday also had a unique disclosure, the staff briefing for participants on yield […]

DATA FLASH: US JUNE CONFIDENCE UP; COVID REBOUND COULD HIT JULY

By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Conference Board’s U.S. consumer confidence index rose solidly to a reading of 98.1 in June from a downward revised 85.9 reading in May, but a resurgence of COVID-19 cases at the end of the month and the dwindling effects of the stimulus payments suggest another increase in July […]

EUROZONE ECONOMIC SENTIMENT ROSE BY RECORD AMOUNT IN JUNE

ZURICH (MaceNews) – Economic sentiment in the countries sharing the euro increased by a record amount in June, extending the turnaround which started in May, with employment expectations also increasing, the European Commission reported Monday. Economic sentiment improved to 75.7 in the euro area, rising 8.2 points, which is the largest monthly increase on record, […]

DATA PREVIEW: WILL EMPLOYMENT REPORT PROVIDE EARLY FIREWORKS?

By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Before the Fourth of July holiday, there are plenty of opportunities for the June U.S. data to create further buzz after a partial recovery in May. The employment report released Thursday – early because of the pending holiday – is undoubtedly the highlight of the week ahead of Friday’s […]

BANK OF ENGLAND’S BAILEY SEES HIGHER STRUCTURAL UNEMPLOYMENT POST-COVID

By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The Bank of England warned of lingering consumer caution and a rise in structural unemployment in the wake of the Covid crisis, even as recent economic data suggest that the UK economy has been less badly hit than feared.  “I do wonder whether a shock if this size will […]

BANK OF CANADA’S MACKLEM: NOT CONSIDERING NEGATIVE INTEREST RATES; OUTLOOK UNCERTAIN

NEW YORK (MaceNews) -The Bank of Canada is not considering negative interest rates and now sees its asset purchase program having a stimulative effect, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said Monday. Macklem, in remarks prepared for delivery during an online event, said the bank expects quick job gains as the economy reopens, but growth […]

FED’S ROSENGREN: MORE POLICY STIMULUS NEEDED; 2H REBOUND WEAK GIVEN VIRUS SPREAD

NEW YORK (MaceNews) – More fiscal and monetary stimulus will probably be needed given rising new Covid-19 cases in many states and a slower-than-hoped recovery, Boston Federal Reserve President Eric Rosengren said Friday. Rosengren, in remarks prepared for delivery at an online event, predicted the unemployment rate will remain in double digits through year end, […]

BANK OF ENGLAND SLOWS ASSET PURCHASES AS CONSUMER SPENDING PICKS UP

— Base Rate Remains at Record-Low 0.1% By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The Bank of England will decrease the pace of its emergency quantitative easing program, noting that the UK has not suffered as much as feared during the economic shutdown implemented in late March. “Recent payments ant other high frequency data suggested that […]