United States
Report says Fed rate pause 'not ruled out'
Federal Reserve officials say they are watching to see how financial markets and the economy react to the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina before deciding on what action to take at their policy-setting meeting on Sept. 20, the Wall Street Journal…
Fed may raise rates even after Hurricane Katrina
According to this article published on Tuesday 6 September, the outcome of the next Federal Reserve meeting scheduled for two weeks from today, is not a foregone conclusion, for the first time in nearly two years.
OECD says Fed can slow rate hikes
The OECD advised the U.S. Federal Reserve on Tuesday 6 September to ease the pace at which it raises interest rates in the wake of the devastation and oil supply disruption caused by Hurricane Katrina.
Greenspan the 'risk manager'
The recent Jackson Hole conference provided another peek into the mind of a central banker who has kept Wall Street guessing for two decades, this article writes. The essence of Greenspan's approach, it says, is to anticipate and accommodate possible…
Fed's Lacker says US can cope with Katrina shock
The US economy can absorb the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina because the Federal Reserve will not repeat the mistake of the 1970s of allowing an energy shock to fuel inflation expectations, Richmond Fed chief Jeffrey Lacker said on Friday 2 September.
On tap for the next Fed chief: Trouble
The recent three-day gathering of central bankers in Jackson Hole was capped with an extended standing ovation for the Fed chief from the traditionally straitlaced crowd. But the challenges awaiting Alan Greenspan's successor may be far tougher than the…
Fed Reserve Bank of St Louis Review, Sep/Oct 2005
The latest edition of the St Louis Fed's Review for Sep/Oct 2005 includes an article "Targeting versus instrument rules for monetary policy" which advances arguments that contradict all of the four objections forwarded in Lars Svensson's 2003 paper on…
Chicago's Moskow on the US economic outlook
In the speech 'U.S. economic outlook' given on 24 August Michael Moskow of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago said the United States needs higher interest rates to keep inflation down as the job market tightens and energy prices remain high.
Fed's Kohn on financial markets
In a speech given on 27 August Donald Kohn of the Federal Reserve defended the central bank's practice of signalling interest rate moves, saying less-clear statements may hurt the economy.
Bush, Greenspan discuss hurricane impact
US President Bush had lunch with Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan Thursday 1 September to discuss the economic impact of Hurricane Katrina.
Kohn could fill hole left by Greenspan
Talk at the recent Fed policy conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming has put Donald Kohn in the frame as the next chairman of the Federal Reserve.
Comment: Risks in housing finance
Personal debt levels in the UK and USA are at record highs, while savings rates have fallen to record lows. As concerns grow over the risks posed to financial stability and economic performance, central banks and regulators are having to consider how…
Fed after Greenspan will need skillful handler
An article published on Wednesday 31 August asks whether the next Fed chairman can possibly be as skillful as Alan Greenspan has been in using a discretionary approach to monetary policy.
Philadelphia Fed's Santomero on economic outlook
In the speech 'Economic outlook' given on 31 August, Anthony Santomero of the Philadelphia Fed said the effects of Hurricane Katrina will cause economic dislocations in the short-term but will not derail the U.S. economic expansion.
Atlanta Fed paper on credit and identity theft
This working paper from the Atlanta Fed looks at the phenomenon of identity theft. It says that ultimately society may have to find a level of theft that balances its preference for privacy with its tolerance for transaction fraud.
Olson says 'too early' to judge impact of Katrina
Federal Reserve Governor Mark Olson told reporters on Wednesday 31 August it was "too early" to make any comment on the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the U.S. economy.
Low rates reflect low inflation says Santomero
The president of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank said on Wednesday 31 August low long-term U.S. yield rates in the Treasuries market that have received so much attention in recent months are partly a reflection of low inflation expectations.
FOMC Minutes, 9 August
Minutes from the Federal Reserve's 9 August meeting published on Tuesday 30 August. Most Federal Reserve policymakers expressed concern that inflation risks had "ticked up" recently, with some worrying that price increases were already at the upper end…
Atlanta Fed on the origins of central banking
This Working Paper from the Atlanta Fed outlines a model of the first true central bank, the Bank of Amsterdam, founded in 1609. It describes how it was able to control inflation in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Netherlands.
IMF's Rajan on the Greenspan era
In the speech 'The Greenspan era: Lessons for the future' given on 27 August Raghuram Rajan of the IMF said that financial markets are at present in extremely healthy shape.
Greenspan's legacy - 'Greatest central banker'
This article published Monday looks at a paper presented at the recent conference held by the Kansas Fed in Jackson Hole. Although the paper criticises that "much of the secret of Greenspan's success remains a secret" - according to the article this is…
Greenspan on the Fed and the future
In closing remarks to the Jackson Hole symposium given on 27 August, Fed chairman Alan Greenspan said he will miss debates on the conduct of monetary policy with members of the Federal Open Market Committee.
Greenspan on the central banker's art
Alan Greenspan attributed the recent increase in asset values to investors' willingness to accept lower compensation for risk, as part of his opening remarks to the annual central bank symposium in Jackson Hole.
NY Fed to host credit derivatives powwow
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is to hold a meeting with major banks to discuss issues in the credit derivatives market in September.