Federal Reserve System
Fed ready to cut rates if necessary - McDonough
US - A top United States Federal Reserve official has offered an assurance that the central bank stands ready to lower interest rates if the economy faltered, but said it was unlikely such help would be needed.
Speech by Susan Schmidt Bies of the Fed, 28 Sep
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'Bank Performance and Corporate Governance' Bies said that following sound accounting, auditing, and disclosure practices consistently is crucial to maintaining the confidence of capital and financial markets. We should…
Philadelphia Fed Business Outlook Survey
REPORT - Results from August's Business Outlook Survey show for the first time this year, manufacturing firms' responses from the Business Outlook Survey indicate a slight decrease in activity. Indicators of general activity, new orders, and shipments…
Chicago Fed National Activity Index, August 2002
REPORT - CFNAI indicates economy slowed in August - In August, the Chicago Fed National Activity Index (CFNAI) fell to its lowest level since December 2001, largely as a result of weakness in the production- and employment-related data. The CFNAI fell to…
Fed's McTeer: Faster economic growth 'essential'
US - Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert McTeer, who pushed unsuccessfully for lower interest rates at a Fed policy meeting last week, said on Monday it was essential for the U.S. economy to grow faster.
Chicago Fed national activity index drops in Aug
US - The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago said on Monday its National Activity Index fell in August to its lowest level since December 2001, dragged down by weakness in production and employment data.
NY Fed's McDonough says Brazil should be fine
US - New York Federal Reserve President William McDonough said on Monday that the crisis of confidence in Brazil would likely turn out all right.
Monetary Hawks and Doves
ARTICLE - In an article from the Ludwig von Mises Institute Mark Thornton, a senior fellow of the Mises Institute, suggests that differences occur in the propensity for Fed governors to be given the tag of either dove or hawk on their FOMC voting habits…
Testimony of Fed V Chairman Roger Ferguson, 25 Sep
SPEECH - In his testimony titled 'The proposed Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act' Ferguson said that although an increasing number of payments are being made electronically, it was clear that checks will continue to play an important role in the US…
Speech by Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, 25 Sep
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'World Finance and Risk Management' Greenspan said a proper dispersement of risk will allow shocks to the overall economic system to be better absorbed and less likely to create cascading failures that could threaten…
Minutes indicate fed concern about stocks
US - Federal Reserve policy makers believe that a decline in the stock market could be the catalyst for another rate cut, according to the minutes of the 13 August meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee.
Speech by Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, 25 Sep
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'Regulation, Innovation, and Wealth Creation' Greenspan said transparency may present a paradox. On the one hand markets function best when the participants are fully informed. But the full disclosure of what some…
Queen Elizabeth Knights Fed Chairman Greenspan
SCOTLAND - U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan received an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday and said he would always cherish the honour.
Speech by Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, 25 Sep
SPEECH - In the speech titled 'Policy Coordination' Greenspan reflected on the historic association between the Bank of England and the Federal Reserve with ties cemented in the 1920's. Greenspan said that London has stayed on top in the provision of…
Fed holds rates steady but with rare split vote
US - The Federal Reserve on Tuesday held interest rates steady despite a hesitant economic recovery and worries about a possible war with Iraq. In an unusual move the meeting saw dissent, with two members calling for a rate reduction. This was the first…
Greenspan to get honorary knighthood on Thursday
US - Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan will receive an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II next week, Buckingham Palace has said.
No global recession likely - Fed's McDonough
US - New York Federal Reserve President William McDonough said on Thursday the chances of a world recession were extremely low, despite an expected slowdown in growth on the back of higher oil prices.
Speech by W. McDonough, New York Fed Bank, 11 Sep
SPEECH - In the speech McDonough said 'sadly, all too many members of the inner circle of the business elite participated in the over-expansion of executive compensation'. He was speaking to an audience attending a 11 September memorial service at…
Fed's McDonough has advice for SA's bankers
SOUTH AFRICA - Bank capital rules brought up to date for a global marketplace must be flexible and take into account a bank's size and its risk appetite, New York Federal Reserve President William McDonough said on Wednesday.
Testimony of Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, 12 Sep
TESTIMONY - In testimony titled 'Current fiscal issues' to the US budget committee on Thursday Greenspan was downbeat suggesting that the most recent forecasts of Fed policymakers, released in July, would be "somewhat lower" if re-estimated today. He…
Federal Reserve Board - Beige Book, September 2002
REPORT - The Federal Reserve Beige Book released 11 September showed slow and uneven growth across the country, and that manufacturers, hit hard by the recession, continued to experience weak demand. Other findings included little job growth.
Speech by Cathy Minehan, Boston Fed Bank, 9 Sep
SPEECH - In a speech Minehan said U.S. interest rates are low enough to stimulate the economy and bolster consumer spending in a "slow" recovery from recession. "This recovery will stay the course, however bumpy that might be right now," Minehan said to…
Greenspan says U.S. weathered several blows
US - Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan told Congress on Thursday that a year after the terrorist attacks, the U.S. economy appears to have done a good job of withstanding a series of severe blows, "although the depressing effects still linger."
Fed's beige book confirms US economy sluggish
US - The Federal Reserve's beige book published Wednesday offered support from the central bank's districts that the economy is in a lacklustre phase of recovery, and may imply no change in interest rates at the Fed's next policy meeting.