The Fed

Much Ado About the Fed (June 15)

Update 279: Much Ado About the Fed From Systemic Risks To Interest Rates The Federal Reserve made news this week in the usual way, with another interest rate hike, and also in less visible but important ways. Today, the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) — of which the Fed is a key member — met …

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Dereg Now, Dereg Whenever (Apr. 25)

Update 266 – Dereg Now, Dereg Whenever: Capital Rules Debate Pits Quarles vs. Quarrels If rapidly increasing economic growth, historic highs in financial industry profits, and capital markets in record territory of late all call for deregulation, there’s no bad time for it.  And if proponents of financial deregulation control the House, Senate, and White …

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Through a Glass Darkly (Mar. 30)

Update 259 — Through a Glass Darkly: The Fed Today, Governance and Structure With the lull afforded by recess, spring breaks, and holidays, we can take a look at the nation’s central bank, the economy’s most important single institution but one not well understood in terms of governance and structure. The Fed is in the …

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Trump’s Financial Regulators: One Year in and Changing the Game Already (Feb. 28)

Update 252 — Trump’s Financial Regulators: One Year in and Changing the Game Already From consumer protection to regulation of firms, the financial regulatory landscape has changed markedly in some areas and is stillborn in others. Trump regulators have made a variety of decisions that has escaped broader notice. We take a tour of the …

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Yellen Years at the Fed (Feb. 7)

Update 248:  Yellen Years at the Fed All’s Well and it Ends with Wells With markets calmer now following a correction that gave back all of this January’s paper gains in three early-February trading sessions, we can take a longer-term look at a key transition in Washington crowded out by correction coverage. Janet Yellen concluded …

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Update 219: Who is Jay Powell?

Update 219: Who is Jay Powell?  A look at Trump’s Choice to Head the Fed Yesterday, President Trump announced Jerome Powell as his nominee to serve as the next Chair of the Federal Reserve Board.  The reality is, Trump probably could easily have picked Janet Yellen, who has directed Fed policy as closely to  what …

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Trump's Expected Fed Chair Pick Seen Likely More Establishment than Bannonist (Oct. 30)

Update 217: Trump’s Expected Fed Chair Pick Seen Likely More Establishment than Bannonist This Thursday, President Trump is expected to nominate the next Federal Reserve Chair.  After months of speculation, the prohibitive favorite at this hour is current Fed Governor Jay Powell.  But Trump enjoys the elements of suspense and surprise and has thrust the …

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On Monetary Policy, Much Ado (Sep. 20)

Update 206 — On Monetary Policy, Much Ado; Rates Steady, But Yellen Says 4 Hikes in Queue In a press conference this afternoon, Federal Reserve Chair Yellen announced no surprises.  The Fed will maintain a federal funds target rate of 1 to 1.25 percent.  Yellen described inflation levels below the central bank’s two percent target.  She …

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Musical Fed Board Chairs Post-Wyoming (Aug. 29)

Update 198 –- Musical Fed Board Chairs Post-Wyoming, All Over But the Yellen? Fed Chair Janet Yellen delivered remarks on the state of financial stability on Friday in Jackson Hole, Wyoming at the Fed’s renown annual economic policy symposium.  Ten years after the onset of the Great Recession, the Chair took the opportunity to reflect on the impact of the Dodd-Frank …

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Yellen Stays the Course (Jun. 14)

Update 184 — Yellen Stays the Course; The Fed in Search of the New Normal The Fed’s broadly anticipated 25 basis point increase in the Fed funds rate announced this afternoon represents a continuation of its once-a-quarter pace of “normalization policy” implementation.  Janet Yellen has adhered to the policy since her installment as Fed Chair …

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