Most Fed Officials Content to Prolong Pause on Interest Rate Cuts
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – As their mid-March monetary policy meeting draws nearer, Federal Reserve policymakers are seemingly becoming more firmly ensconced in a wait-and-see posture, hoping for more statistical clarification of the progress they’re making toward the Fed’s dual mandate objectives of “maximum employment” and “price stability” before considering further interest rate adjustments. […]
Japan’s Government Sticks to Modest Economic Recovery Outlook as Firms Tiding Over Trump Tariff Storms, Inflation Drifting Lower on Easing Food, Energy Costs
–PM Takaichi Quiet on BOJ’s Unwinding of Stimulus; Mainichi Says She Showed Reluctance to Further Rate Hikes in Recent Meeting with Governor Ueda –Government Nominates Academic Types with Possible Reflationary Bias to Replace Two Outgoing BOJ Board Members By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s government continues to predict a modest economic recovery, noting that corporate […]
Most Federal Reserve Officials Nowhere Near Ready to Cut Rates Again
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Few Federal Reserve officials have completely foreclosed the possibility of resuming interest rate reductions at some point, but for the foreseeable future, the U.S. central bank appears to be firmly on hold. The Federal Open Market Committee may well get around to cutting the federal funds rate at least […]
Update: IMF Official: BOJ Expected to Raise Policy Rate to 1.5% by Two 25-Basis Point Hikes This Year, One Next Year
–Updates with Official Remarks at Briefing, Background –IMF: BOJ Policy Interest Rate Below Estimated Neutral Rate, Echoing Recent Comments of BOJ Governor Ueda –IMF: Continued Unwinding of Monetary Stimulus to Lift BOJ’s Overnight Rate to Neutral In 2027 –IMF Advises Against Lowering 10% Sales Tax, Hails PM Takaichi Plan to Suspend it for 2 Years […]
Most Federal Reserve Officials Are Unwilling To Resume Interest Rate Cuts Yet
– A Few Favor More Easing, But Most Focus On Curbing Inflation, Not Boosting Jobs By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – With relatively rapid economic expansion underpinning the labor market and with inflation remaining stubbornly high, most Federal Reserve officials sound increasingly disinclined to resume interest rate reductions after the Fed’s rate-setting Federal Open Market […]
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 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 […]
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 […]