FED’S POWELL: DOING ALL WE CAN; WILL IT BE ENOUGH?

–‘Dot Plot’ Shows Assumptions of No Rate Hikes Through 2022 –To Sustain Pace of Treasuries, MBS Purchases By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell Wednesday offered reassurance policymakers are not even “thinking about thinking” about raising rates and shared his worries about possible long-term post-crisis unemployment. Answering questions after the Federal […]

DATA FLASH: US MAY CPI FALLS 0.1% BEFORE JUNE DEMAND PICKUP

–Core Prices Also Down 0.1%; Ex. Only Energy, CPI Up 0.1%.–Energy Prices Again Down Sharply; Foods Prices Rise on Food at Home–Owners’ Equivalent Rents Up 0.3%, Lodging Away from Home Down 1.5% By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – U.S. consumer prices were below the flat reading expected, as energy prices declined further, but demand is […]

DATA PREVIEW: PROTESTS COMPLICATE FOMC STATEMENT AMID RECOVERY

By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – After the May employment report showed slight improvement after the overwhelmingly negative April report, the attention in the week ahead turns to the monthly U.S. inflation reports and Wednesday’s FOMC meeting, as well as the first look at June consumer confidence. The FOMC meets Tuesday and Wednesday at a […]

DATA FLASH: US MAY PAYROLLS RISE BY 2.5 MLN, UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 13.3%

–Employ Data Still Show Considerable COVID Impact Even as Data Turns Up–Food Services, Retail, Medical Jobs Lead Gain; Hourly Earnings -1.0%   By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The May employment report showed further impact of the COVID-19 shutdown, but there was no question that the surprisingly positive data point to a turning point after […]

USTR LIGHTHIZER CASTS CHINA RELATIONSHIP IN ROSY HUES

–Doing OK in Adherence to Phase 1 Commitments –China Pullback in Ag Purchases ‘Not True.’ NEW YORK (MaceNews) – President Trump’s top trade negotiator Thursday cast U.S.-China relations, at least in his sphere, in unexpectedly positive terms and called reports of a setback in purchases of U.S. soybeans perhaps the result of “disinformation.” U.S. Trade […]

ECB EXPANDS BOND BUYING PROGRAM, DECLINES FURTHER EASING MEASURES

By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The European Central Bank expanded its emergency asset purchase program but declined to activate any further measures in what it calls its “policy toolkit,” despite forecasting a fall in inflation to just above zero. The ECB’s pandemic emergency purchase program, or PEPP, will increase by €600 billion to €1.35 […]

DATA FLASH: US INITIAL CLAIMS SLOW FURTHER; APRIL TRADE GAP WIDENS

-–Initial Claims -249,000 to 1.877 Mln; 38.8 Mln Total Under COVID–-Int’l Trade Gap $49.4 Bln vs $42.3 Bln In March; China Gap Surges-–Nonfarm Productivity Rev Up to -0.9%, Unit Labor Costs Rev Up to +5.1%. By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The U.S. initial claims data came in above expectations Thursday but still posted a ninth […]

SIFMA SURVEY: ’20 GDP -5.5%; ’21 +4.7%; NO NEGATIVE RATES

NEW YORK (MaceNews) – A survey of 26 chief economists of global and regional financial institutions Tuesday saw U.S. fourth quarter to fourth quarter GDP falling 5.5% this year and rebounding strongly next year with a 4.7% gain. The survey, taken through May 28, also found no expectation for the Federal Reserve to purposely employ […]

PRES TRUMP CLEARS PATH THROUGH PROTEST TO STAND AT ST. JOHN CHURCH

–‘Law and Order’ President Threatens  Military Force Across Couintry By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – President Trump Monday posed with a Bible at a vandalized church across the street from the White House along with his defense secretary and attorney general declaring he is ending rioting and arson even if it takes active military force. […]

DATA FLASH: US MANUFACTURING CONTRACTION SLOWED IN MAY

-April Construction Spending Declined, As Suggested by Housing Data By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The May ISM index Monday showed U.S. manufacturing sector activity contracted further, but at a slower pace, in line with the regional and Markit data. Survey respondents in the ISM report noted while COVID-19 continues to weigh heavily on business […]