FOMC STATEMENT: Qtr-Point Cut as Expected; Ends Reduction of Aggregate Securities Holdings Dec 1

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is the Federal Open Market Committee’s policy statement released Wednesday: Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a moderate pace. Job gains have slowed this year, and the unemployment rate has edged up but remained low through August; more recent indicators are consistent with these developments. Inflation […]

Powell Cites ‘Significant Downside Risks’ To Jobs; Puts Less Emphasis On Inflation

– Can’t Ease Too Quickly, But Easing Too Slowly Would Mean ‘Painful” Job Losses By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell avoided giving an overt signal about what the Fed will do with interest rates later this month, but clearly leaned toward greater concern about a softening labor market than about […]

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 […]

Report: Japan, U.S. Mull Possible Trump Visit to Tokyo in Late October

By Chikafumi Hodo TOKYO (MaceNews) – Japan and the United States are in talks over a possible visit by President Donald Trump to Tokyo in October, ahead of his planned trip to South Korea for an international summit, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported. The visit would mark the first in-person meeting between Trump and the […]

FOMC Cuts Fed Funds Rate 25 Basis Points; Further Rate Cuts Projected

– Powell: Increased Downside Labor Risks Motivated FOMC to ‘Move Toward Neutral’ – SEP Projects 3.6% Funds Rate End ‘25; 3.4% End ‘26; 3.1% End ‘27 By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – After holding its interest rate settings steady for nine months, despite growing pressure from President Trump, the Federal Reserve finally lowered them Wednesday, […]

Japan Weekahead: Ruling, Opposition Parties Gear Up for October Snap Elections Widely Expected after Conservative LDP Picks Leader

–Bank of Japan to Stand Pat amid Political Storm Following PM Ishiba’s Resignation, Board Monitors Trump Tariff Impact on Q3 Data–August Data to Highlight Tariff Impact: Japan Carmakers’ Discount Strategy Keeps Their US Market Share but Depresses Export Values–Core CPI to Ease Below 3% on Summer Fuel Subsidies, Yen’s Relative Strength Vs. Slump in Early […]

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 […]