WHITE HOUSE WATCH COMMENTARY: FEDERAL GOVT STILL CATCHING UP WITH VIRUS NEEDS

By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – What’s become a literal American deathwatch was a grinding slog on Wednesday with whatever major progress being made behind the scenes obscured by the questions on why progress is not faster. The evening’s Corona Virus Task Force briefing seemed more bogged down with vague answers rather than being illuminated […]

BOSTON FED’S ROSENGREN Q&A: DISTRESS AHEAD FOR HEAVILY LEVERAGED

–Pandemic Likely To Be A Bigger Financial Distress Problem NEW YORK (MaceNews) – Boston Federal Reserve Bank President Eric Rosengren opposed the pre-crisis rate cuts and now he is being proven right, the pandemic’s effects will be worse than otherwise because the Fed had less ammunition while some individuals and firms accumulated too much low-interest […]

FED’S ROSENGREN: UNEMPLOYMENT TO RISE ‘DRAMATICALLY’; FOCUSING ON PLIGHT OF WORKERS

NEW YORK (MaceNews) – The Federal Reserve is working to limit economic fallout from the pandemic and promote recovery, but unemployment is surging, and fiscal policy is “crucial,” Eric Rosengren, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, said Wednesday. “The Federal Reserve is working to limit the financial and economic distress – to take […]

BANK OF CANADA CUTS RATES ANOTHER 50 BPS

By Gloria Galloway OTTAWA (MaceNews) – The Bank of Canada has dropped its target overnight rate for the third time in less than a month as it tries to mitigate the financial and economic damage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stephen Poloz, the bank’s governor, announced Friday morning that the rate would fall 50 basis points […]

BANK OF CANADA EMERGENCY MEASURES STATE OF PLAY

By Gloria Galloway OTTAWA (MaceNews) – The Bank of Canada has joined other banks around the word in making credit more available and affordable to consumers and financial institutions as the Covid-19 pandemic causes unprecedented upheaval to the global economy. The financial situation in Canada and elsewhere continues to be stressed as a result of […]

WHITE HOUSE WATCH: ‘DIFFICULT TRADEOFFS;’ UNPRECEDENTED QE; ACCELERATING INFECTION

–US Fatalities Top 100 in One Day For First Time –Phase 3 Congressional Help Days Away At Best –Federal Reserve Goes Big, Bigger, Biggest By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Americans who in even greater numbers are staying at home Monday were suddenly being asked to choose between two virus scenarios, one espoused by medical […]

WHITE HOUSE WATCH: MARKET FEAR PEAKS TOO EARLY? INFECTION RATE HIGHER

–Trump: ‘Convalescent Plasma’, Investigational Drugs Show Promise –FDA Says Investigational Therapies Months Away –US Oil Price Surges 23%; DJIA Closes +188 Pts; US 10-Yr 1.158%; VIX 72.00 By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – U.S. stocks indices started flapping in what seemed to be a changing wind Thursday, improving even in the face of rapidly worsening […]

CANADA PLANS $82 BLN IN PANDEMIC RELIEF PACKAGE

By Gloria Gallloway OTTAWA (MaceNews) – Canada is promising $82 billion in financial relief to soften the blow of the pandemic crisis that is causing massive upheaval and uncertainty in this country and around the world. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday that his government would provide up to $27 billion in direct support for […]

INCOMING ECB HEAD LAGARDE URGES EUROPEAN STRUCTURAL REFORM

By Laurie Laird FRANKFURT (MaceNews) – The incoming president of the European Central Bank stressed the importance of structural reform and expansionary fiscal policy in her final public speech before taking over the reins of the bank, echoing the increasingly-urgent calls of her predecessor, Mario Draghi. Addressing leaders of Europe’s financial and political worlds, Christine Lagarde […]

DRAGHI: ECB COUNCIL ‘UNIFIED’ DESPITE POLITICAL PRESSURE ON RATE SETTERS

By Laurie Laird FRANKFURT (MaceNews) – European Central Bank rate setters have largely settled their policy disagreements, according to ECB President Mario Draghi, while acknowledging that global central banks are coming under increasing political pressure.  Addressing reporters after his final meeting, Draghi described a “general call for unity” among governing council members, after a number […]