Eye On Housing
The statement released following the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) meeting included no changes and no surprises. The assessment of economic conditions was largely the same: moderate expansion of economic activity, advancing household spending and business investment, a strengthening housing sector, and improving labor market conditions but an elevated unemployment rate. Inflation is running below target but inflation expectations remain… Read More ›
Tag Archive for ‘monetary policy’
Federal Open Market Committee Meeting Concludes – Stay the Course, Good for Housing
The statement published following the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) two day meeting had no surprises. The FOMC noted moderate economic growth, an improving labor market, further strengthening of the housing sector, and household and business investment spending as positives. An elevated unemployment rate and restrictive fiscal policy are concerns. The Fed will continue the current highly accommodative policy stance, keeping… Read More ›
Federal Open Market Committee Meeting Statement – A Clear Signal
The most significant development reported in today’s statement and Chairman Bernanke’s press conference following the two day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) was the identification of explicit targets connecting improvement in the economy and the beginning of increases in the federal funds rate. Previous FOMC guidance had been that the funds rate would remain at its current… Read More ›
FOMC September Policy Meeting – The Fed Goes All In
The statement released following the two day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the Federal Reserve’s main monetary policy setting body, coupled with Ben Bernanke’s post-meeting press conference unveiled the much anticipated third round of quantitative easing, or QE3. As expected, the FOMC also extended the forward guidance, announcing that the Fed funds target rate would remain at… Read More ›
Federal Open Market Committee Meeting Statement – Reading the Tea Leaves
Today’s statement following the July 31-August 1 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) offered a couple of hints, but nothing definitive on the big question of further monetary policy easing. The language in today’s statement downgraded current economic growth compared to the statement following the June meeting, replacing “the economy has been expanding moderately this year” with “economic… Read More ›
Monetary Policy: Operation Twist Extended
On Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the branch of the Federal Reserve that determines monetary policy, announced an extension of the ongoing policy sometimes referred to as “operation twist.” This policy seeks to keep long-term interest rates low, thereby stimulating the economy, by selling Treasury securities with short maturities (three years or less) and purchasing Treasury securities with maturities… Read More ›
Federal Open Market Committee April Meeting Statement + Bernanke’s Press Conference
The statement following the April 24-25 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) contained no surprises. The characterization of economic conditions differed little from the March statement: the labor market is improving but the unemployment rate remains elevated; household spending and business investment continue to advance; the housing sector remains depressed; inflation is in check. Economic growth will pick… Read More ›
Federal Open Market Committee January Meeting Statement – Enjoying the View
The communication following the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) two day meeting January 24-25 comes in three parts. The standard statement is joined by the release of tables and charts summarizing the economic projections and the target federal funds rate projections of the meeting participants, as well as an additional statement explaining the Fed’s principles regarding longer-term goals and policy… Read More ›