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☆ The Fed is finally about to cut interest rates. What took so long?
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington CNN —It’s a pivotal week for the US economy, with the Federal Reserve expected to cut interest rates for the first time since 2020. Fed officials and investors have long anticipated that borrowing costs would come down in 2024 — at some point — according to their economic forecasts. But nine months in, rate cuts still haven’t happened, drenching Wall Street’s parade and leaving US consumers squeezed by elevated interest rates. Here’s why the Fed didn’t cut soonerIt’s simple: The Fed didn’t cut interest rates sooner because it could have reignited inflation or left it stuck above the central bank’s target. Bond yields, which move in anticipation of the Fed’ decisions on rates, have come down over the past several weeks based on signs encouraging the Fed to cut rates, such as weaker-than-expected employment data and cooling inflation.

Persons: Washington CNN — It’s, it’s, ” Oscar Muñoz, ” Muñoz, Jerome Powell, Powell, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, “ Jerome Powell’s, ” Philipp Carlsson Organizations: Washington CNN, Federal Reserve, Fed, Wall, TD Securities, CNN, Kansas City, Capitol, White, Boston Consulting Group Locations: —, Jackson Hole , Wyoming

☆ Fed Chair Powell Signals ‘Time Has Come’ for September Rate Cut
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-23 | by ( Jeanna Smialek | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Speaking in his most closely watched speech of the year, Jerome H. Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, clearly signaled that the central bank was poised to cut interest rates in September. And while Mr. Powell stopped short of giving a clear hint at just how large that move might be, he forcefully underscored that the central bank stands prepared to adjust policy to protect the job market from weakening further and to keep the economy on a path for a soft landing. “The time has come for policy to adjust,” Mr. Powell said during the Kansas City Fed’s annual conference at Jackson Hole in Wyoming. “The direction of travel is clear, and the timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks.”He then added: “We will do everything we can to support a strong labor market as we make further progress toward price stability.”

Persons: Jerome H, Powell, Mr Organizations: Federal Reserve, Kansas City, Jackson Locations: Kansas, Wyoming

☆ The Fed likely won’t raise rates this month — but November is another matter
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington, DC CNN —Last week’s economic data increasingly gave investors hope that the Federal Reserve could hold interest rates steady this month, following a hike in July that brought rates to their highest level in 22 years. It’s hard to say definitively if or when the central bank will hike interest rates again this year. The Fed could hold rates steady for the rest of the year if both the job market and the broader economy continue to slow, helping bring down inflation. Higher for longer means keeping interest rates elevated for a prolonged period. China’s National Bureau of Statistics releases August inflation data.

Persons: hasn’t, ” Leslie Thompson, Thompson, Jerome Powell, Powell, Susan Collins, Powell’s Jackson, there’s, Raphael Bostic, Olesya Dmitracova, ” Patrick Hummel, David Lesne, Juan Perez, Carrascosa, Barnes & Noble Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, DC CNN, Federal, Financial, Spectrum Wealth Management, CNN, Fed, Kansas City, Boston, Yahoo, Finance, Atlanta Fed, Volkswagen, Renault, UBS, French, Swiss, Barnes &, The Reserve Bank of Australia, US Commerce Department, Eagle, Express, P Global, Institute for Supply Management, Bank of Canada, US Labor Department, Kroger, China’s National Bureau of Statistics Locations: Washington, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, Cape Town , South Africa, Europe

☆ What the August jobs report means for the Fed
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington, DC CNN —The long-robust US job market is continuing to cool, according to several economic indicators released this week. It’s clear the labor market has cooledThere are plenty of signs that the job market has continued to weaken and that momentum is largely expected to continue in the months ahead. The August jobs report showed that average hourly earnings grew at a monthly pace of just 0.2%, or 4.3% annually. “Pretty much everything in the labor market has cooled back to the pre-pandemic temperature,” Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter, told CNN. It’s also possible the job market holds steady if recession fears continue to fade, allowing businesses to address stubborn staffing shortages.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, “, ”, Steve Wyett, ” Julia Pollak, we’ve, Nick Bunker, ” Bunker, It’s, they’ve, ” Pollak Organizations: DC CNN, Federal Reserve, Kansas City, Labor, BOK Financial, Fed, of Labor Statistics, Labor Department, CNN, Commerce Department, US, Banks Locations: Washington, Jackson Hole , Wyoming

☆ The US economy grew more slowly in the second quarter than previously estimated
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —The US economy grew more slowly in the second quarter than previously estimated — a good sign for the Federal Reserve, which is attempting to cool demand to bring down price increases. Gross domestic product, the broadest measure of economic output, rose at an annualized rate of 2.1% in the second quarter, according to the Commerce Department’s second estimate, released Wednesday morning. The second estimate factored in greater consumer spending, government outlays and exports, compared with the initial estimate. Economic growth in the second quarter was mostly broad based, but there were some signs of weakened demand for goods purchases and imports. Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of economic output, was revised slightly higher in the second estimate.

Persons: ”, Bill Adams, Barbie, Taylor Swift, Jerome Powell, ” Powell, Biden, Lydia Boussour, “ Organizations: DC CNN, Federal Reserve, Gross, Commerce, Consumer, Comerica Bank, The Commerce Department, Kansas City, Atlanta Fed, Fed Locations: Washington, United States, Wells Fargo, EY

☆ Americans are getting a little worried about inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Americans felt more pessimistic about the economy in August, following two straight months of growing confidence. That would make it extremely hard for the Fed to bring inflation back down to 2%. Consumer attitudes are sometimes a bellwether for spending, which is mainly what economists focus on since consumer spending accounts for about two-thirds of economic output. That’s because the US economy’s strength might not be consistent with 2% inflation, the Fed’s inflation goal. But both the economy and job market also remain on strong footing, and that’s helping to keep inflation elevated.

Persons: ”, Dana Peterson, “, Jerome Powell Organizations: DC CNN, Conference Board, Labor, University of, Federal Reserve, Fed, Street, Kansas City, Atlanta Fed, Commerce Department Locations: Washington

☆ US consumer spending is expected to cool further but not fall off a cliff
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Investors and economists are bullish that consumer spending, the US economy’s main engine, won’t deteriorate too much, which should help stocks avoid a massive sell-off this year. The US Labor Department releases July figures on job openings, quits, hires and layoffs. The US Commerce Department releases July data on household spending, income and the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge. The US Labor Department reports the number of new applications for jobless benefits in the week ended Aug. 26. Friday: The US Labor Department releases August figures on the labor market, including monthly payroll gains, wage growth, and the unemployment rate.

Persons: “ We’re, we’ve, ” Matthew Palazzolo, we’re, We’re, ” Palazzolo, pare, It’s, Biden, Jerome Powell, Sinead Colton Grant, Anna Cooban Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, DC CNN, Federal Reserve, US, Bernstein Private Wealth Management, CNN, Nvidia, Research, Fed, Kansas City, San Francisco Fed, Mellon, International Monetary Fund, Global, US Labor Department, Board, US Commerce Department, National Association of Realtors, China’s National Bureau of Statistics, P Global, Institute for Supply Management Locations: Washington, Wells Fargo, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, American, Germany, Europe, Berlin

☆ Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell hints at more bad news for consumers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington, DC CNN —Additional interest rate hikes are still on the table and rates could remain elevated for longer than expected, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Friday. “Additional evidence of persistently above-trend growth could put further progress on inflation at risk and could warrant further tightening of monetary policy,” Powell said. “So what does that mean for monetary policy? The Fed chair said higher interest rates are likely pulling on the economy’s reins, implying that r* might not be structurally higher, though he said it’s an unobservable concept. But we cannot identify with certainty the neutral rate of interest, and thus there is always uncertainty about the precise level of monetary policy restraint,” Powell said.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, ” Powell, ” William English, Jason Furman, ” Organizations: DC CNN, Kansas City, Fed, Financial, Atlanta Fed, National Federation of Independent, Yale University, Fed’s, Governors, CNN, Commerce Department, Index, Harvard Locations: Washington, Jackson Hole , Wyoming

☆ Fed's Harker expects no more rate hikes needed this year, in CNBC interview
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Michael S. Derby | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Harker spoke to the television channel on the sidelines of the Kansas City Fed’s annual research conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. But for Harker, it's very much a question of the economy working through the ongoing impact of the Fed's prior actions. We need to absorb that,'" the bank president said of his local contacts. He expects the unemployment rate to rise a touch to 4% or maybe higher and he believes growth should moderate. Harker also said it's too soon to say when the Fed might cut interest rates.

Persons: Patrick Harker, CNBC's Steve Liesman, Ann Saphir, CNBC he's, Harker, let's, Jerome Powell, it's, you've, I'd, Michael S, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank, Kansas, REUTERS, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, CNBC, Kansas City, Fed, Market, Thomson Locations: Jackson Hole , Wyoming, U.S, Kansas

☆ Nvidia set the market alight last quarter. Can it repeat the trick?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Artificial intelligence darling Nvidia’s upcoming earnings report could be a boost or a drag on a market already mired in the summer doldrums. Nvidia reached a $1 trillion market cap in May, becoming the ninth company to achieve that milestone. Tech stocks rose on Monday, indicating optimism among investors about Nvidia’s earnings. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index on Monday gained 1.6%, marking its biggest one-day jump this month and stalling the recent sell-off in tech stocks. Tech stocks faltered somewhat on Tuesday, as weak retail earnings and elevated Treasury yields put pressure on stocks.

Persons: Jensen Huang, Phillip Toews, that’s, …, ”, Louis Navellier, Dan Ives, Jerome Powell, Anna Bahney, Read, Clare Duffy, —, X Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, CNN, Nvidia, Toews Asset Management, US Federal Reserve, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Tesla, Navellier, Associates, Tech, Nasdaq, Wedbush Securities, Federal, Kansas City, Dow Jones, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Homeowners, Twitter Locations: Jackson Hole , Wyoming, Northeast, Midwest, West

☆ The Fed's next move after raising rates to fight inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Some investors are betting on rate cuts as soon as early next year, perhaps on expectations that the economy might soon deteriorate. If unemployment spikes because of higher interest rates, for example, the Fed would likely cut rates to stem job losses under its mandate of maximum employment. The Fed’s tough talk has rattled the bond market, helping push up long-dated yields. In addition to the possibility of cutting rates because of an economic downturn, the Fed could also cut rates if inflation slows too much. “If the Fed sees that inflation goes below the 2% target, they could start decreasing interest rates, but I don’t think they are going to start decreasing interest rates until that happens,” said Eugenio Alemán, chief economist at Raymond James.

Persons: there’s, Rather, Austan Goolsbee, Mike Hackett, they’ve, ”, Eugenio Alemán, Raymond James, Melissa Brown, China’s ‘ Lehman, Laura, Mengchen Zhang, Technology —, Zhongrong, Read, Thomas Barkin, Michelle Bowman, Kansas City Fed’s, Jerome Powell, Christine Lagarde Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, DC CNN, Federal, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Treasury, Nationwide, CNN, Fed, Service, KBC Corporation, Xianheng, Science, Technology, National Association of Realtors, Body, Nvidia, Kansas City, Global, US Commerce Department, Labor Department, Central Bank Locations: Washington, “, China, BJ’s, Abercrombie, Kansas

☆ Retiring Fed President Challenged the Consensus Inside Central Bank
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Nick Timiraos | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Federal Reserve is set to lose one of its more diligent skeptics when Esther George, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, retires next month. Ms. George began her tenure at the central bank 40 years ago in the midst of the last episode of very high U.S. inflation. She became the Kansas City Fed’s president in 2011, when the economy was mired in the protracted and difficult recovery from the global financial crisis.

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