Federal Reserve System
Fed to streamline cheque processing
As consumers shift to electronic payments, the Federal Reserve Banks set out plans to streamline cheque processing.
Chicago Fed's National Activity Index improves
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago announced on 25 June that its gauge of the national economy, the National Activity Index, although negative in May, was stronger than it was a month ago because as a number of indicators showed an improvement.
Fed under fire in Washington over supervision
In spite of the successes of his first 16 months in office, the relations of Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, with the American Congress are deteriorating as the country's central bank is threatened with having some of its authority…
Fed's Geither on Asian growth
In this speech the New York Fed's president, Tim Geither explains why "Asia will need to prepare for a future in which it relies more on the strength of growth at home rather than on the strength of growth in the rest of the world".
New head for Boston Fed
Eric Rosengren will become president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston on 23 July. He will succeed Cathy Minehan who retires after 13 years as president of the Boston Fed, and nearly 40 years of service in the Federal…
Fed's Beige Book
There was continuing weakness in residential real estate and construction but increasing strength in the commercial real estate sector, including both office and industrial space, reports the Fed's 4th Beige Book of the year.
Bond yields tighten on rate fears
The world's leading bond markets continued to tighten on 13 June, with benchmark yields reaching multi-year highs as the market responds to the threat of rising interest rates from central banks around the world.
Chicago Fed paper on mobile payments
Will mobile payments go the way of the stalled smart-card revolution of the 1990s? This Chicago Fed letter looks at these new payments fit into the larger payment system.
Federal Reserve: Annual Report
The Federal Reserve released its 93rd annual report on 6 June, in which it said "The US economy turned in another solid performance in 2006, although the pattern of growth was uneven."
Bernanke: US inflation slowing, but risks remain
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says US core inflation "seems likely to moderate gradually over time", but there are "upside" risks to this forecast.
Former Fed No 2, Preston Martin, dies
Preston Martin, the former deputy chairman of the Federal Reserve died last week, aged 83.
Kroszner on risks and outlook for US economy
Economic growth will in the US pick up through 2007, rising to close to potential by 2008, said Randall Kroszner, a member of the Board of Governors, at the spring meeting of the IIF in Athens, adding that the risks to the inflation outlook are primarily…
Fed announces FOMC's 2008 schedule
The US Federal Reserve, the American central bank, on 1 June announced the tentative schedule for next year's Federal Open Market Committee meetings.
Fed minutes reveal worries over inflation, housing
The minutes of the latest monetary policy meeting of the Federal Reserve contained few surprises, but underlined the fact that policymakers remained concerned about an "upward drift in inflation expectations".
Johnson leaves the Fed
Karen Johnson, director of the Division of International Finance at the Federal Reserve Board, will step down after nearly a decade in this position.
Why is the dollar so high?'
In this paper, Martin Feldstein, once considered a frontrunner to replace Alan Greenspan as chairman of the US Federal Reserve, argues that a decline of the real value of the dollar that is large enough to reduce the current account deficit significantly…
Estimating potential output - Fed's Mishkin
In this speech, Frederic Mishkin, a governor at the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, provides a non-technical overview of academic research on the estimation of potential output, and important concept in monetary policy analysis.
A user's guide to derivatives data
This research note by US Federal Reserve discusses the potential use of newly-collected data on cross-border derivatives.
Fed's Lacker: core inflation still too high
Jeffrey Lacker, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, said on 22 May that core inflation was still too high and rising expectations of future price pressures was a source of concern.
Latest St Louis Fed Review published
The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has published its May/June issue of its Review, a journal covering national and international economic developments, particularly focusing on their monetary aspects.
Fed's Kroszner on globalization & capital markets
In the speech 'Globalization and capital markets: Implications for inflation and the yield curve' given on 16 May Randall Kroszner of the Federal Reserve said the ease that investors can move money around the globe has spurred a "currency competition"…
Philadelphia Fed Business Outlook Survey, May 2007
According to the firms surveyed for the Philadelphia Fed's May 2007 Business Outlook Survey, activity in the region's manufacturing sector improved slightly in May.
Fed's Bernanke on the subprime mortgage market
In the speech 'The subprime mortgage market' given on 17 May Ben Bernanke of the Federal Reserve said a rash of mortgage problems is not expected to affect the broader economy and the Fed would move to crack down on abusive lending practices.
Fed's Kohn on financial stability & policy issues
In the speech 'Financial stability and policy issues' given on 16 May Donald Kohn of the Federal Reserve said the explosive growth of the credit derivatives market has helped spread risks, but also created new channels to transmit shocks to the economy.