The Federal Reserve’s conduct of monetary policy is complicated by uncertainty over trade policy, in particular recent news about U.S.-Chinese trade relations, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said today at the Kansas City Fed’s annual summit in Jackson Hole, Wyo.
Slowing domestic and global economic growth, persistent uncertainties about trade and inflation running beneath the Federal Reserve’s 2% target were key reasons behind the Federal Open Market Committee’s decision to cut interest rates for the first time in a decade.
With economic uncertainties mounting—including concerns over trade policy and slowing global growth—Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell today cautioned that “monetary policy should not overreact to any individual data point or short-term swing in sentiment.”
The Federal Open Market Committee announced yesterday that it would maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at the current 2.25-2.5%.
MMT has little chance of becoming law in the next few years, but the next election cycle could improve its chances. It is something for banks to keep a watchful eye on.
Banks do not base decisions on how much they should hold in reserve at the Federal Reserve Banks on their desire to earn the interest paid on excess reserves, according to a Fed survey of senior financial officers released today.
The benefits that TNB offers its institutional investor client base would be more than offset by the harm it does to the banking system and the Fed’s use of IOER.
The good news is that both borrowers and lenders continue to exercise discipline and consumers are still in very strong financial shape.
With the Fed’s turn to a more dovish stance, there may not be many more rate hikes in this cycle. As long as monetary policy does not turn restrictive, the opportunity remains to see just how much slack is left in the labor market.