Fed Officials Wrestle with Appropriate Policy Path amid Data Fog
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – As they move closer to their penultimate monetary policy meeting of the year later this month, Federal Reserve policymakers continue to give mixed signals on the path of interest rates. While there have been overt calls for additional rate cuts, and while some officials have indicated an openness to […]
‘It’s Not a Good Trajectory’ ISM’s Chief Says of Services Economy as Tariffs on Goods Spills Over
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The September Institute of Supply Management report on the momentum of the services economy – showing some slippage in the index to 50 – is part of a slowdown three years in the making, now burdened with spillovers from goods tariffs, the purchasing managers survey chief said Friday. The latest reading of […]
US Sept Manufacturing ISM Weaker Overall as Tariff and Pricing Uncertainty Combines with Supply Chain Disruptions, Fewer Foreign Customers
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Institute of Supply Management September reading of U.S. manufacturing showed overall momentum slowing though the index improved slightly to a still contractionary 49.1 and the report’s organizer warned that the weakening could be a leading indicator. “The panelists are clearly saying that their customers are just not ordering,” said Susan Spence […]
NY Fed’s Williams: FOMC Has ‘Balancing Act’ Between Inflation, Employment
– Monetary Policy Still Restrictive; To Make Meeting-by-Meeting Judgment on Risks – Employment Risks Up; Inflation Pressure Lessening; Tariffs Not As Bad As Feared – Other Fed Officials More Hesitant To Cut Funds Rate Furthermore By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – After cutting interest rates mid-month to guard against “undue” weakness in the labor market […]
US TARIFFS STATE OF PLAY – Punishing 50% Tariff on India Products Takes Effect; Online Shoppers to be Hit With Tariffs Friday
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – There was no last-minute reprieve for India, as of midnight ET hit with one of the highest tariff rates in the world. The implementation of a 50% rate shuts off most trade with the U.S. and there have been many accounts of sectors of the Indian economy already feeling the severe effect. […]
Fed Officials Still Divided, Unsure About When and How Much To Cut Interest Rates
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve officials have continued this week to muse about cutting interest rates for the first time since December when the Fed’s rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee meets in mid- September, but the FOMC remains divided and unsure. Despite an uptick in inflation, labor market worries have come to […]
BofA Global Research Fund Manager Survey: Global Investors Increasingly More Cautious About Growth and Inflation In August
By Vicki Schmelzer NEW YORK (MaceNews) – Global investors were increasingly more cautious in their views about growth and inflation in August, according to BofA Global Research’s monthly fund manager survey, released Monday. A net 41% of those polled this month looked for weaker global growth in the coming 12 months. This compared to a […]
ISM: US Services Sector Slows on Weak Demand, Soft Hiring and Rising Costs as Tariffs Begin to Bite
–ISM Services Index 50.1 Vs. 50.8 in June, 49.9 in May, Below Consensus 51.5–ISM’s Miller: Employment Index’s Continued Contraction, Faster Rise in Prices Index Worrisome–Miller: Expansion in Business Activity, New Orders Indexes Highlight Resilience of Services Sector–Miller: Firms Wary of Impact of an Expected Fed Rate Cut as Inflation Remains High By Max Sato (MaceNews) […]
US ISM Manufacturing Falls Deeper into Contraction amid Slow New Orders, Still Fragile Output, More Job Cuts, Elevated Costs
–ISM Manufacturing Index at 9-Month Low of 48.0 vs. 49.0 in June, Consensus 49.5–ISM CEO Derry: Despite Wall Street Pricing in Imminent Rate Relief, Manufacturers Need to See Actual Cut Before Resuming Capex By Max Sato (MaceNews) – U.S. manufacturing activity was in contraction for the fifth straight month in July as President Trump’s idea […]
ISM: US Services Sector Posts 1st Contraction in 11 Months in May as Trade War Sparks Supply Chain Chaos
–ISM Services Index 49.9 Vs. 51.6, Well Below Consensus (52.0)–ISM’s Miller: Weak PMI Not Indicative of Severe Contraction but Caused by Uncertainty–Miller: Firms Cautious About Placing Orders Until Trade Tariff Impact Becomes Clearer By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The U.S. services sector slipped into contraction in May after growing for 10 months, hit by significantly […]