Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)
Fed could extend asset purchases, minutes show
Some FOMC members say additional asset purchases likely to be needed next year to generate sustained improvement in labour market
Yellen wants more transparency and a change in forward guidance
Federal Reserve vice-chair Janet Yellen calls for more transparency and supports replacing the calendar date in the Fed’s forward guidance with economic conditions needed to lift the funds rate
QE sliced unemployment by 1.5 points, says Fed’s Williams
San Francisco Fed president says Fed's forward guidance on rates has narrowed Treasury yields by 15-20 basis points, about the same amount as QE2; asset purchases have cut unemployment by 1.5 points
Fed holds fire on further easing
Federal Open Market Committee votes to hold federal funds rate and maintain current scale of asset purchases; concerns persist over labour market conditions, raising possibility of further stimulus
Lacker explains dissenting votes
Jeffrey Lacker, president of the Richmond Fed, explains his dissenting votes during past six FOMC meetings; warns of misinterpretation
New rate-setting communication deliberated by Fed
Minutes from the FOMC’s September meeting show consideration of a switch in the way interest rate decisions are disclosed as well as motivation behind QE3
Fed paper finds ‘surprising’ impact of monetary policy on long-term real rates
Working paper suggests reasons for the unexpected effect of short-term monetary policy on long-term real rates; argues this is driven by demand from ‘yield-oriented’ investors
Fed policy-makers hint at further stimulus
Minutes of the latest Federal Open Market Committee meeting show a number of members discussing further stimulus possibilities; moderate growth expected but also heightened risk
Bernanke says Fed ready for QE3 if necessary
Fed chairman explains FOMC decision to maintain rates and extend Operation Twist; says Fed is ready to make more asset purchases if necessary
Fed extends Operation Twist to end of 2012
Federal Open Market Committee to continue programme to lengthen average maturity of its holdings of securities; target range for federal funds rate maintained at 0-0.25%
Central bankers need to address problem of ‘groupthink’, says Shiller
Members of central bank committees need to dig deep to assert their ‘moral commitment’ and actively avoid falling into the trap of ‘groupthink’ when making decisions, says economist Robert Shiller
Bernanke places onus on US government to act
Bernanke calls on US Congress to act on fiscal policy; growth forecasts upgraded in latest Fed economic projections