Federal Reserve System
US growth outlook encouraging, says Kansas City Fed’s Hoenig
Kansas City Federal Reserve president Thomas Hoenig says US expected to grow at moderate pace in next few years
Fed study on minimum wage and inequality
Federal Reserve study says impact of minimum wage declines on inequality in United States overstated
Brazil steps up efforts to ease real gains
Central Bank of Brazil raises reserve requirements on domestic banks' foreign exchange position in bid to halt real appreciation
Obama determined to appoint Diamond to Fed board
United States President Barack Obama pushes for third nomination of Nobel laureate Peter Diamond to Federal Reserve Board
MBS purchase programme sent strong signal to mortgage market: Fed paper
Federal Reserve study says mortgage-backed security purchase programme had strong signalling effect on mortgage bond market
Chile unveils strategy for series of interventions
Central Bank of Chile to buy $12 billion-worth of foreign currency in bid to halt peso’s appreciation; peso dips sharply
FOMC minutes highlight ‘high threshold’ to shifting QE stance
Minutes of Federal Open Market Committee December meeting underline desire to use all $600 billion set aside for the central bank’s second round of quantitative easing
Fiat money, central banking and the Bank of Amsterdam: Atlanta Fed research
Atlanta Federal Reserve paper uses Bank of Amsterdam example to explore effects of fiat money on central bank functions
Number of central bankers on the rise
Central banks increase staff, reversing decade-long downsizing trend
Fed extends temporary dollar swap lines
Dollar swap lines reopened with five central banks in May will remain in operation until August 2011, seven months past original date of expiry
Philadelphia Federal Reserve – Livingston Survey (December 2010)
Philadephia Federal Reserve’s biannual survey of economists shows expectations of high unemployment, low inflation in 2011
Fed writes rule to expand consumer protection
Federal Reserve proposes two rules to improve consumer protection, based on financial regulatory reform law; move part of broader rulemaking process that will turn to bank capital, leverage laws
QE2 hopes reflected in dollar, risk reversal trends: BIS
Bank for International Settlements’ December Quarterly Review charts effects of QE2 anticipation, eurozone sovereign debt woes, in fourth quarter
Rise in income tax can boost growth: Fed study
Federal Reserve research shows increase in capital-income tax can provide insurance against investment risk and raise overall welfare
Fed reviews use of monetary aggregates in policymaking
Federal Reserve study says use of monetary aggregates should be considered for monetary policy decision making
‘End the Fed’ author to lead congressional Fed oversight group
US congressman Ron Paul appointed chair of monetary policy subgroup in influential lower house financial committee; appointment could spark intense scrutiny of Federal Reserve
Electronic methods leading growth of cashless payments in the US, says Fed study
Federal Reserve study shows number of cashless payments has grown, with debit card, automated clearinghouse transactions leading the way
Atlanta Fed names new second in command
Retirement of Atlanta Federal Reserve first vice-president Patrick Barron sparks reshuffle in retail payments office
Boston Fed finds evidence of sticky wages
Boston Federal Reserve paper shows that wage adjustments in the United States are very infrequent
Credit card rewards boost spending: Chicago Fed
Chicago Federal Reserve study shows that credit card cash-back rewards can boost spending but effect on total consumption is relatively minor
QE3 possible if conditions warrant it, says Bernanke
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke says a further expansion of Treasury bill purchase programme is possible; stresses worries on unemployment
Kansas Fed’s Hoenig open to shorter lag in releasing FOMC transcripts
Kansas Federal Reserve president Thomas Hoenig says nothing inherently wrong in publishing rate-setter meeting transcripts with delay of less than five years
Fed audit sheds light on scale of deterioration in AIG vehicles
Federal Reserve publishes data illustrating the fall in asset value and quality in Maiden Lane II and III vehicles; Fed’s-eye view on crisis events revealed
Fed’s Yellen: QE2 could help emerging markets
Federal Reserve vice chair Janet Yellen makes case for currency appreciation in emerging markets; remarks come on the heels of emerging market criticism of QE2