United States
Fed's Stern plays down consumer debt fears
US consumers are in good financial shape, top Fed official Gary Stern said, rejecting fears that high levels of household debt are unsustainable.
Reviewing US monetary policy in disinflation era
This Bank of Japan Working Paper reviews the experience of US monetary policy from 2000 to shed some light on issues regarding the effectiveness of monetary policy in a low inflation era. Result shows that the observed financial market response to the…
Hoenig; modest effect of oil prices on US economy
Kansas City Fed president Tom Hoenig said on Tuesday 28 September that high oil prices will probably slow U.S. growth but will not derail the economy provided there is not another sharp spike upwards.
US Treasury Sec. Snow: oil prices at G7 meeting
US Treasury Secretary John Snow said on Tuesday 28 September that the record high for world crude oil prices will be one of the key issues to be discussed as the Group of Seven (G7) industrialised nations meet in Washington this week.
Safer, smarter, US $50 bill issued
Newly redesigned $50 notes arrive at banks beginning Tuesday 28 September ready to make their way into circulation and consumer wallets. Today marks the day the Federal Reserve System distributes the new note to banks and thus into the public's hands.
Revisions to Fed's policy on payments system risk
The Federal Reserve Board announced on Thursday 23 September that it has revised its Policy Statement on Payments System Risk (PSR policy) concerning interest and redemption payments on securities issued by government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) and…
Chicago Fed National Activity Index, August 2004
The Chicago Fed National Activity Index was +0.19 in August, down sharply from an upwardrevised +0.53 in July. The drop in the monthly index was due to smaller positive contributions from production-related data and, to a lesser extent, housing and…
FOMC Minutes, 10 August
Minutes from the Federal Reserve's 10 August FOMC meeting released on 24 September showed that with interest rates so low and inflation rising, Fed officials saw the need in coming quarters for a "significant" number of interest rate rises.
Fed won't let budget gap push up prices- Gramlich
Federal Reserve Board Governor Edward Gramlich said on Thursday 23 September that credible monetary policies can prevent large government budget gaps from stoking inflation, and expressed optimism that would be the case in the United States.
Philadelphia Fed Business Outlook Survey, Sep 2004
According to the firms surveyed for the Philadelphia Fed's Business Outlook Survey, September 2004, activity in the region's manufacturing sector continues to improve. Although the indicator for general activity fell from its August reading, indicators…
Resolving US financial intermediaries
In the Atlanta Fed Working Paper "Resolving large financial intermediaries: Banks versus housing enterprises", the authors examine issues surrounding the possible failure of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Finding parallels between resolving insolvent large…
After Alan Greenspan, who?
This article looks at some of the favourites to replace Alan Greenspan as Chairman of the Federal Reserve when he steps down. Because of the Fed chairman's enormous influence on the U.S. economy and global financial markets, the selection will be among…
Federal Reserve raises US rates
The Federal Open Market Committee decided on Tuesday 21 September to raise its target for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 1-3/4 percent. In its press release the FOMC said despite the rise in energy prices, inflation and inflation…
Fed's Gramlich at the 30th anniversary of the NHSA
In introductory remarks to an event honouring the 30th anniversary of Neighbourhood Housing Services of America (NHSA) given on 10 September, Edward Gramlich of the Federal Reserve said that there's a need to expand homeownership for lower-income…
Study shows Fed's words impact on economy
The Federal Reserve's strategy adopted in the summer of 2003 for stimulating the U.S. economy without cutting interest rates was a clear success, researchers at the Fed have concluded in a new study.
'The Region' from the Minneapolis Fed, Sep 2004
The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis has published its regular magazine, The Region, for September 2004. In "An Economist's Viewpoint" Gary Stern speaks on the value of economics in understanding current policy controversies. The article "A Fork in…
Atlanta Fed economist sees GSEs taking more risks
U.S. mortgage finance enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are likely to take greater risks as they face stiffer competition from banks and regional Federal Home Loan Banks, a study by an Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank economist said.
US to offer anti-money laundering training
The Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) will be the first US organisation to offer training and certification in the UAE to help Middle Eastern professionals develop their controls against money laundering and terrorist…
Poole on challenges for US businesses
At a panel discussion on the challenges for U.S. businesses which took place on 10 September, William Poole of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis said the large U.S. current account deficit does not worry him as it implies a capital account surplus,…
'No urgency' to lift rates says Fed's Bies
Federal Reserve Governor Susan Bies said the central bank faces ``no urgency'' to lift the benchmark U.S. interest rate while awaiting more evidence that economic expansion is steady.
Yellen on US economic and monetary policy
In a speech on US economic and monetary policy given on 9 September, Janet Yellen of the San Francisco Fed said the Fed's overnight interest rate remains well below the neutral level, so there is "a strong presumption that rates will need to keep going…
Cleveland's Pianalto: an economic perspective
In a speech on 'A National Economic Perspective' given on 10 September, Sandra Pianalto of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland said US interest rates should rise to avoid future price pressures, but conceded that inflation did not pose a major threat…
Rate hikes can be measured, says Dallas Fed chief
Dallas Federal Reserve President Robert McTeer said on Friday 10 September that he believed further interest rate increases could be measured and noted that economic growth would be stronger in the months ahead.
Federal Reserve Board - Beige Book, September 2004
The Federal Reserve has published its September 2004 Beige Book survey. The report said that while the US economy continued to grow in late July and August, growth in several regions slowed following a softening in household spending.