Lending standards on business loans to large and medium-sized firms eased on net over the second quarter of 2017 according to the Federal Reserve Board’s Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey. Historical evidence has shown that lending standards on business loans to these establishments is correlated with both the growth in the stock of business loans held by banks and with… Read More ›
Tag Archive for ‘macroeconomics’
Mortgage Rates on New Home Purchases Tick Up
Information provided by the Federal Housing Financing Agency indicates that mortgage rates on purchases of newly built homes ticked up by 3 basis points over June to 4.03 percent. However, at this level, rates remain below the 4.18 peak level recorded in February. Meanwhile, a more commonly used rate reported by Freddie Mac indicates that mortgage rates fell in June. Despite… Read More ›
Economy Grew At a Faster Pace in Q2
In the second quarter of 2017, the nation’s economy grew at a faster pace than in the first quarter. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.6 percent in the second quarter of 2017. In the first quarter, GDP grew at an annual rate of 1.2 percent. The first… Read More ›
FOMC Balance Sheet Normalization Coming “Relatively Soon”
In a statement following its two-day meeting covering July 25 and 26, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC or the Committee) decided to “maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 1 to 1.25 percent”. All FOMC members voted in favor of this decision. In its statement, the FOMC maintains that, at this level, “the stance of monetary policy remains… Read More ›
Second Look at GDP Growth in the First Quarter – A Little Better, But About the Same
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released the second estimate of real GDP growth in the first quarter of 2017. Economic activity expanded at a 1.2% seasonally adjusted annual rate, an upward revision from the previous 0.7% estimate. This estimate is based on more complete data than was available for the “advance” estimate. Real GDP grew at a 2.1% rate… Read More ›
First Look at GDP Growth in the First Quarter – Investment Up (Except Inventories), Consumption Down
Economic activity slowed in the first quarter, GDP growth dropped to a 0.7% seasonally adjusted annual rate from a 2.1% rate in the fourth quarter. The main culprits in the slowdown were personal consumption expenditures (PCE) and inventory investment. The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released the “advance” estimate of real GDP growth in the first quarter of 2017. Despite… Read More ›
Third Look at GDP Growth in the Fourth Quarter – A Little Better, Hail Consumers
The third estimate of real GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2016, from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), shows slightly faster economic growth, a 2.1% annual rate, up from 1.9% in the earlier estimate(s). Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) gets all the credit; fixed investment, trade and government spending all declined. PCE rose at a 3.5% rate, up from… Read More ›
Another Look at GDP Growth in the Fourth Quarter
The second estimate of real GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2016 from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) shows negligible revisions, unchanged overall at a 1.9% seasonally adjusted annual rate. Real GDP grew at an annual rate of 3.5% in the third quarter. Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) grew slightly faster than in the initial estimate, 3.0% annually instead… Read More ›
First Look at GDP Growth in the Fourth Quarter
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released the “advance” estimate of real GDP growth for the fourth quarter of 2016. Real GDP grew at a 1.9% seasonally adjusted annual rate, slowing from 3.5% in the third quarter. The BEA emphasizes that the first estimates of quarterly GDP are based on data that are incomplete and/or subject to revision, and subsequent… Read More ›
Federal Open Market Committee December Meeting – The Devil is in the Details
“In their discussion of their economic forecasts, participants emphasized their considerable uncertainty about the timing, size, and composition of any future fiscal and other economic policy initiatives as well as about how those polices might affect aggregate demand and supply. Several participants pointed out that, depending on the mix of tax, spending, regulatory, and other possible policy changes, economic growth… Read More ›