FOMC Holds Rates Steady; Drops Easing Bias By Ending Forward Guidance
— SEP Shows Fed Officials See Funds Rate Rising To 3.8% By End ‘26; Back to 3.6% end ’27 – -SEP Inflation Forecast Lifted for 2026 From 2.7% to 3.6% — Warsh Didn’t Submit Funds Rate Dot; Half Want Rate Same or Lower; Half Want Rate Hike – -Warsh Committed To 2% Inflation; ‘Compatible’ With […]
Fed Officials Not Ready To Move Rates Either Way as Iran Uncertainty Continues
— Rate Hike Sentiment Rising, But Most Inclined to Be Patient — Easing Bias Seems Increasingly Likely To Go By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve officials leaned half heartedly toward a potential tightening of monetary policy this week, as they struggled to keep up with the vicissitudes of the Iran conflict and its […]
US ISM Manufacturing PMI Expands for 5th Straight Month in May, Backed by New Orders, but Mideast Conflict Keeping Costs High
–ISM’s Spence: New Orders Up on Pent-Up Demand, Instead of Customers Stocking Up Before Iran War Causes Further Disruption–Spence: Employment in Contraction but Better in May, Elevated Prices Ease, Both in Right Direction By Max Sato (MaceNews) – U.S. manufacturing activity expanded for the fifth straight month in May backed by a solid gain in […]
US ISM Services Sector Keeps Solid Expansion in March but Hit by Transport Cost Spike, Mideast War Adds to Uncertainty as Trump Tariff Saga Drags on
–ISM’s Miller: ‘Not Seeing Weakness in Services Sector’; Employment Subindex Slump ‘One-Month Blip’ By Max Sato (MaceNews) – U.S. services sector expansion slowed but maintained underlying strength in March, led by another strong gain in new orders, but firms were also hit by a rapid and widespread spike in energy and commodities prices, particularly fuel […]
US ISM Services Sector Heats Up in February, Takes PMI to More Than 3-Year High as Firms Meeting Demand by Controlling Tariff-Induced Cost Rise
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The U.S. services sector revved up sharply in February to extend its expansionary phase into a 20th month as firms have managed to absorb higher costs triggered by stiff import duties imposed under the protectionist U.S. trade policy, indicating a resilient labor market and solid economic growth in the first […]
US ISM Manufacturing PMI Stays in Expansionary State in February but Many Firms Complain US Tariffs Boosting Procurement Costs
–ISM’s Spence: Wouldn’t Be Surprised If Price Pressure Continued in Light of Heightened Tensions in Middle East By Max Sato (MaceNews) – U.S. manufacturing activity stayed in expansionary territory in February after springing back to life from a year-long slumber the previous month but firms are blaming the protectionist trade policy under President Donald Trump […]
US ISM Services Sector Afloat over Optimism for Better Business in 2026 but AI Boom Causing Capacity Concerns; Overall Cost Pressures Remain High
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The U.S. services sector posted a 19th straight month of expansion in January on general optimism that things will turn around in 2026 in the aftermath of Trump tariff storms but the pace of activity was flat on the month as data center expansion is causing capacity concerns and rising […]
US ISM Manufacturing PMI Surges to 41-Month High on Vague Optimism About Demand Comeback but Uncertainty Over Trump Tariffs Continues to Choke Supply Chains
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – U.S. manufacturing activity sprang back to life in January, marking the first expansion in 12 months backed by unclear optimism that demand will improve, but overall sentiment remains gloomy, hit by the lingering uncertainty caused by protectionist U.S. trade policy. The purchasing managers index compiled by the Institute for Supply […]
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 […]
US ISM Services Sector PMI Hits 14-Month High Mainly on Seasonal Effects but 12-Month Moving Average Still Low
US ISM’s Miller: Not Out of Tariffs Woods Yet but Sitting on Their Edge By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The U.S. services sector was in expansion territory for the third straight month in December as customers’ yearend budget spending lifted retailers and the flu vaccine season supported healthcare service providers but stiff Trump tariffs are […]