Update 678 — Inflation vs. Banking Crisis:Fed Announces 25 bp Interest Rate Hike Fed chair Jerome Powell is earning his salary this week, leading the Fed to a decision today unlike one he and the Fed have ever faced. It was only two weeks ago that Powell floated a 50 bp interest hike, testifying in …
Update 675 — Powell: More Hikes to ComeFed Course Reinforced by Strong Jobs Report The ongoing narrative of a strong and resilient U.S. economy was reaffirmed once again by this morning’s jobs report. During February, the U.S. added 311,000 jobs though unemployment rose from 3.4 to 3.6 percent. Indeed, job gains far exceeded economists’ expectations, …
Update 661 — A Soft Landing in 2023?Jobs, CPI, Tracking Fed Plane in the Sky As we enter a new year, the economy appears to be on the mend. Last year, inflation began accelerating and stayed elevated throughout. As yesterday’s CPI report makes clear, prices continue a descent thanks (only in part) to the Fed’s …
Update 656 — Fed Boosts Rate 50 BPsIs Soft—and Swift—Landing in Sight? Today, the Federal Reserve announced a 50 basis point interest rate increase, bringing the borrowing benchmark up to a targeted range of 4.25-4.5 percent. This rate hike, a slowdown after four consecutive 75 point increases, suggests the Fed believes it may have a …
Update 647 — A Record 4th 75 bp Hike:(How) Will The Fed Know When to Stop? For the fourth time since March, the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates by 75 basis points — the most rapid increase in decades. After an admittedly slow start, the Fed Chair Powell says with his policy “damn the …
Two signal events occurred in the financial policy space this week. The big bank CEO hearings this week in the House Financial Services and Senate Banking Committees are becoming an annual event featuring both chieftains of banking and important consumers of other public policy issues. CEOs of seven major U.S. banks appeared before Congress and …
Now that Michael Barr has been confirmed to join the Federal Reserve Board’s Vice Chair for Supervision, the Board’s last vacancy has finally been filled and a regulatory agenda held in abeyance can now see action. The nation’s banks may have survived the pandemic with capital intact, but problems like Too Big To Fail — …
Update 624 — Another 75 bp Hike by FedRole of Consumer in Recession Risk Ahead The Federal Reserve announced by unanimous vote an increase in its target interest rate by 75 basis points for the second month in a row this afternoon. Though expected, this and last month’s rate hikes— both the largest since 1994 …
Update 620 — CPI for June up 9.1%But Trends Complicate Inflation Story The CPI report for June, showing a 9.1 percent hike in prices from a year ago, up from 8.6 percent in May, may alarm some and immediately suggests another 75 basis point interest rate by the Fed at its next meeting, July 26-27. …
Update 616 — Fueling Uncertainty:Fed Fights Inflation, Recession Risk Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell took the hot seat this week during the semiannual Humphrey-Hawkins hearings before Congress. Recently re-confirmed as Chair, Powell had to manage his way through cross examination regarding the Fed and inflation, following a hot 8.6 percent May CPI rise in inflation …
