FED’S POWELL MAKES THE ‘FED PUT’ EXPLICIT RE TRADE TURBULENCE
–‘We Will Act as Appropriate’ to Sustain Expansion By Denny Gulino CHICAGO (MaceNews) – In a major announcement Tuesday, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell made the “Fed put” explicit, saying, “We will act as appropriate to sustain the expansion” in case of trade negotiation turbulence. He is making the remarks at a Chicago Fed conference […]
BANK OF CANADA’S WILKINS: ALBERTA BETTER AS OIL PRICES RECOVER
By Gordon Isfeld OTTAWA (MaceNews) – Canada’s number two monetary policy leader on Thursday highlighted some positive economic news for Alberta, a province that has weathered a big share of the country`s energy woes. “In terms of oil, prices have recovered from last autumn’s decline, production has started to increase, and profitability has started to […]
ANALYSIS: FIN RISKS ADD TO TRADE, INFL WORRIES TO STYMIE FED
By Steven K. Beckner AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. (MaceNews)– Nettlesome uncertainties about inflation, trade and now financial stability are keeping U.S. monetary policy stuck firmly where it’s at for the foreseeable future. For now, the economy is doing too well for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, but those concerns seem equally likely to prevent […]
STILL FACING CANADA FINANCIAL ‘VULNERABILITIES’
By Gordon Isfeld OTTAWA (MaceNews) – Canada’s financial system continues to face “vulnerabilities” related to household debt and “imbalances” in the country’s residential markets, even as regulators continue to tighten guidelines in mortgage lending. “New measures have curbed borrowing, reduced speculative behaviour in housing markets and made the financial system more resilient,” the Bank of Canada […]
ECB’S DRAGHI SEES ‘PERSISTENCE OF UNCERTAINTIES
–ECB Pledges to Hold Rates Steady to Yearend By Laurie Laird FRANKFURT (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank could ease the burden of negative interest rates on the region’s banks, raising concerns that prolonged weakness in the euro zone economy could require further stimulus measures, even the resumption and expansion of quantitative easing. The ECB […]
ECB: RATES HOLDING REST OF YR; EASES POLICY STANCE
By Laurie Laird FRANKFURT (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank adopted a markedly easier policy stance at Thursday’s governing council meeting, just months after terminating its multi-billion dollar quantitative easing programme, following a dramatic downward revision to its growth forecast for 2019. From September, the ECB will launch a new series of quarterly targeted longer-term […]
ECB ACKNOWLEDGES DOWNSIDE RISKS; POLICY UNCHANGED
–Euro Area Risks ‘Have Moved to the Downside’ By Laurie Laird FRANKFURT (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank said Thursday it has no immediate plans to loosen monetary policy, despite acknowledging a substantial loss of economic momentum in the euro zone and highlighting potential headwinds to the euro zone expansion. “The risks surrounding the euro […]
ECB: TO INVEST QE PROCEEDS BEYOND RATE RISE
By Laurie Laird FRANKFURT (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank Thursday confirmed its intention to end quantitative easing at year end, despite marked signs of weakness in the euro zone economy, but stressed a commitment to reinvesting proceeds of previous bond purchases over the medium term or longer. We intend to continue to reinvesting, in […]
ECB CONFIRMS END OF QE DESPITE EZ SLOWDOWN SIGNS
By Laurie Laird FRANKFURT (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank Thursday confirmed plans to reduce its quantitative easing programme by year end, even as its leadership acknowledged a recent slowdown in the euro zone economy. The ECB reduced its purchase of assets to €15 billion at the end of September, and will cease the programme at […]
ECB CONFIRMS WINDING DOWN QE YEAR-END
By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank Thursday confirmed plans to wind down its quantitative easing programme by year end, despite signs of a slowdown in euro zone industrial activity toward the end of the summer. The 0.8% slump in industrial production recorded in July represented a “sign of convergence of the […]