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 […]
Japan Keeps Economic Recovery Outlook as US Trade Deal, Easing Inflation Lift Mood but Export Volumes, Manufacturer Profits Sink on US Auto Tariffs
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan is keeping its modest economic recovery scenario as a trade deal with Washington and easing inflation have perked up confidence but U.S. import duties, still much higher than pre-Trump norms, have triggered export volumes to slump in August and manufacturer profits to dip in the April-June quarter. In […]
Japan Weekahead: Ruling Party to Elect New Leader to Replace Outgoing PM Ishiba; BOJ Tankan Survey to Show Slight Pickup in Sentiment
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese political and economic events for the coming week. The BOJ Tankan survey for the September quarter, due on Wednesday, is expected to show a slight pickup in business sentiment and solid capital investment plans but the move among Japanese carmakers to export their vehicles at […]
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 […]
Fed Officials Continue to Diverge on Where Funds Rate Should Go in Future
By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve officials have expressed general support for lower interest rates this week but have diverged on how much further monetary easing might be warranted. Some officials have made clear they want additional cuts in the key federal funds rate after the Fed’s rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee voted […]
Japan Weekahead: September Tokyo CPI Seen Stable Under 3% after Bank of Japan Kept Policy Rate but Decided to Start Slow Process of Selling Off Assets
— Candidates for Ruling Party Leader, Thus Prime Minister, to Debate Campaign Platforms By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Here are the key Japanese political and economic events for the coming week. Ahead of the Oct. 4 election of the leader of the ruling conservative Liberal Democratic Party, and thus the prime minister, candidates will be […]
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, […]
TRANSCRIPT: Fed’s Powell Says Quarter-Point Cut ‘Risk Management’ Rather Than Reaction to Actual Jobs Deterioriation
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is a transcript of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s post-FOMC news conference Wednesday: Recent indicators suggest that growth of economic activity has moderated. GEP rose at a pace of around one and a half percent in the first half of the year, down from 2.5 percent last year. The moderation […]
FOMC POLICY STATEMENT – As expected, with quarter-point rate cut followed by dot-plot expectations for two more this year
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee’s Wednesday policy statement: Recent indicators suggest that growth of economic activity moderated in the first half of the year. Job gains have slowed, and the unemployment rate has edged up but remains low. Inflation has moved up and remains somewhat elevated. The Committee seeks to achieve maximum […]