MaceNewsViews: Commentary – Democrats Celebrating (Perhaps Fleeting) Victory
By Eric Ham WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – On Monday, President Biden will sign into law the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, a cornerstone of the president’s agenda, in a lavish ceremony with many supporters and even a few Republicans present. The bill provides billions for roads and bridges across the nation and much more, for instance […]
US House-Passed Infrastructure Bill Gets Presidential Signature in Coming Days
By Eric Ham WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – After months of wrangling and tense back-and-forth negotiations, the House of Representatives finally passed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure spending bill shortly before midnight Friday. Saturday morning President Biden hailed it as an inflection point toward winning “the competition of the 21st century., The legislation passed 228-206 with 13 Republicans […]
FOMC: Tapering to Begin This Month at the Expected Pace
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee Wednesday fulfilled expectations that tapering will get underway, starting the process this month while making no reference to the timeline of eventual liftoff other than the usual goals of maximum employment and 2% inflation. The policy announcement follows: With progress on vaccinations and strong policy support, indicators […]
US FCC Targeting More Chinese Telecom Companies
By Eric Ham WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The United States continues its crackdown on Chinese Telecom companies that began with severe U.S.restrictions imposed on commerce with Huawei. China Telecom, the largest Chinese telecommunications company, Tuesday had its license revoked by the Federal Communications Commission after operating in the United States for almost 20 years. The FCC […]
Fed’s Beige Book Sees ‘Significantly Elevated Prices’
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Reserve’s survey of economic conditions coast to coast Wednesday found “significantly elevated prices” and some regional Fed districts in which growth slowed, hampered by labor shortages, supply disruptions and, of course, the Delta variant. Auto sales declined and some districts “noted increased uncertainty and more cautious optimism than in previous […]
Pres Biden’s ‘Build Back Better’ Getting Makeover
By Eric Ham WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – President Biden met with House progressives who then signaled major changes to the legislation to expand the social safety net. Tuition-free community college, a major priority of the White House, will be dropped. Moreover, the child tax credit — another key Democratic priority — would likely be extended for […]
BofA Global Research Fund Manager Survey: Increasingly Negative World Growth Outlook Prompt Former Bulls To Retreat in October
By Vicki Schmelzer — Record Underweight in Bonds On Rate Hike Jitters NEW YORK (MaceNews) – World growth expectations fell more markedly in October, prompting formerly bullish global investors to retreat, according to the findings of BofA Global Research’s monthly fund manager survey, released Tuesday. Growth expectations were weighed by fears of higher interest rates, […]
NY Fed’s Williams Opposes Raising FOMC Inflation Target From 2%
–Stresses Need To Anchor Inflation Expectations at 2% By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – New York Federal Reserve Bank President John Williams defended the Fed’s 2% average inflation target Friday, while emphasizing the need to solidify expectations around that rate. Williams, vice chairman of the Fed’s policymaking Federal Open Market Committee, acknowledged that the real […]
MaceNewsViews: Commentary – Senate Republican Leader McConnell Flexes (Political) Muscle Despite Minority Status
By Eric Ham WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – As the clock wound down on the debt ceiling and Democrats were unable or unwilling to break the logjam on their own, Republican Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, stepped in and saved the nation from going over the financial cliff. The Kentucky senator reminded the country of the clout he […]
MaceNewsViews: President Biden Gets Tough With Corporate America
By Eric Ham WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – President Biden Wednesday met with senior stakeholders from business, labor unions and trade associations. The meeting took place in the Roosevelt Room inside the White House. The meeting was closed to the press. After meeting for more than an hour, the president addressed the public. He made clear he […]