Analysis: Discordant Fed Voices Keeping the Outlook for Monetary Policy Hazy
– Some Want To Resume Rate-Cutting; Others Oppose; Others Unsure By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – With the Federal Reserve having taken a much-anticipated pause in interest rate reductions last Wednesday, financial market participants worldwide are anxious to know when the Fed might resume cutting rates and by how much, but officials are giving no […]
FOMC Leaves Funds Rate Unchanged; Suggests Easing Pause Will Continue
– FOMC Signals No Hurry To Resume Easing with Unemployment ‘Stabilizing’ – Powell: Fed ‘Well-Positioned’ To See how ‘Solid’ Economy, Jobs, Inflation Unfold By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – The Federal Reserve declined Wednesday to lower interest rates further in its first monetary policy meeting of the year, despite enormous pressure to do so from […]
FOMC Chooses Middle Ground, With No Rate Cut and Inflation Only ‘Somewhat Elevated,’ Unemp Showing Some Signs of Stabilization
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is the text of Wednesday afternoon’s Federal Open Market policy statement: Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace. Job gains have remained low, and the unemployment rate has shown some signs of stabilization. Inflation remains somewhat elevated. The Committee seeks to achieve maximum employment […]
Fed’s Bowman Reaffirms Support for Additional Cuts In Federal Funds Rate
– Warns Against Signaling ‘Pause’ By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – A number of Federal Reserve officials have expressed hesitancy, if not outright opposition, about cutting interest rates further in recent days, but Vice Chairman for Supervision Michelle Bowman emphatically renewed her support for additional rate cuts Friday. Bowman joined Governor Stephen Miran in supporting […]
Fed Officials Signal No Rush to Reduce Federal Funds Rate Further in Near-Term
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – With President Trump escalating efforts to get the Federal Reserve to slash interest rates, Fed officials have given very few indications this week that they will be ready to oblige when they meet later this month. While some officials have indicated a willingness to cut the key federal funds […]
TEXT: Fed Chair Powell’s statement issued Sunday evening in reaction to extraordinary grand jury subpoenas
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is a statement issued Sunday evening by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell in response to extraordinary grand jury subpoenas issued by the Justice Department: Good evening. On Friday, the Department of Justice served the Federal Reserve with grand jury subpoenas, threatening a criminal indictment related to my testimony before the […]
Still Divided Fed Officials Leave Near- term Interest Rate Cuts in Doubt
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – As the new year commenced, Federal Reserve officials have neither foreclosed the possibility of further interest rate reductions, nor encouraged hopes for them. With the economy just beginning to come out of a fog of uncertainty induced by the data blackout accompanying last Fall’s government shutdown, few are prepared […]
Japan Govt Sticks to Modest Recovery Outlook as Exports Weather Trump Tariff Storms; BOJ Hikes Rates on Easing Trade Uncertainties, Vows to Raise More
–BOJ Governor Ueda: Policy Rate at 0.75% After Latest 25-Bp Hike Still ‘Slightly Below’ Estimated Neutral Rate By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japanese government policymakers are holding on to their conviction that the economy will stay on a modest recovery track as the latest trade data showed a rebound in exports to the key U.S. […]
Fed Officials Remain Divided on Future Rate Path After Dec. 10 Rate Cut
– Miran, Waller Want More Rate Cuts; Williams, Others Equivocal If Not Hostile By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – As the year drew toward a close following a third interest rate cut, Federal Reserve policymakers continued to display disunity on the rate path ahead, as officials put different weights on the Fed’s “price stability” and […]
BofA Global Research Fund Manager Survey: Investor Optimism High in December on ‘Run-it-Hot’ Macro and Policy Expectations
–Macro-optimism Highest Since August 2021 –Expectation For Higher Bond Yields Highest Since April 2022 by Vicki Schmelzer NEW YORK (MaceNews) – Global investor optimism was high in December, driven by “’run-it-hot’ macro and policy expectations,” according to the latest BoA Global Fund Managers survey, released Tuesday. This month, a net 18% of those polled looked […]