Category Archives: Politics

Financial FAQs FRED10yr The wild fluctuations of the 10-year Constant Maturity Treasury yield portrayed in the above St. Louis Fed graph should have alerted Federal Governors and Chairman Powell to the dangers of raising interest rates too precipitously. It is … Continue reading →

Popular Economics Weekly FREDcpi The retail Consumer Price Index rose from essentially zero in May 2020 to 8.9 percent YoY in June 2022. It has dropped to 6 percent in February, per the US Census Bureau’s latest inflation report. This … Continue reading →

Popular Economics Weekly MarketWatch February’s very strong unemployment report has raised fears the Fed may go back to 0.50 percent rate hikes, or even 0.75 percent (which it did four times), because of the continuing strength of the labor market. … Continue reading →

Financial FAQs EPI.org A headline reporting on Fed Chairman Powell’s latest testimony to congress said the Fed will battle inflation until it is subdued, sounding more hawkish because January numbers for retail spending, employment and inflation were stronger than expected. … Continue reading →

Financial FAQs Reuters Reuters just reported that U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Monday said she saw a path for avoiding a U.S. recession, with inflation coming down significantly and the economy remaining strong, given the strength of the U.S. … Continue reading →

Financial FAQs Conference-Board.org The Federal Reserve is about to raise the overnight interest rate another quarter-percent to 4.5 percent that it charges banks, hence banks will pass on the increased rate to their borrowers. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise … Continue reading →

Financial FAQs FREDhourlywages Why is the Federal Reserve enforcing a 2 percent inflation rate target? Such a monetary policy has meant Fed Governors have endangered economic growth by holding to a target rate that I believe is too low. Whatever … Continue reading →

Popular Economics Weekly MarketWatch All eyes are now on the Federal Reserve and Chairman Powell. Companies are daring Powell and his Governors to crimp their profits by threatening dire consequences (i.e., a recession) if they don’t slow down hiring at … Continue reading →