Federal Reserve

No Fed rate cut until September at earliest, economists say

Not only does the full panel of economists surveyed by Wolters Kluwer feel the Federal Open Market Committee will not cut short-term rates at its meeting today and tomorrow, less than 10% expect it to act in July. The Blue Chip Economic Indicators report also soundly discounts Pres. Trump’s call for the Fed Funds Rate […]

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Federal Reserve watchdog investigates efforts to dismantle CFPB

As Trump administration officials press ahead with their efforts to dismantle and defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Federal Reserve Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is reportedly opening an investigation into moves to fire the vast majority of CFPB and attempted cancellations of associated federal contracts. According to reporting by CNBC, the

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A Grocery Store As U.S. Inflation-Adjusted Consumer Spending Unexpectedly Rose In March

Fed likely to hold steady after muted tariff impact in CPI

David Paul Morris/Bloomberg UPDATE: This article includes a quote from Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent. Inflation rose modestly last month, signaling that the U.S. economy might be feeling the effects of elevated tariffs.  The Consumer Price Index increased 0.1% in May, bringing the year-over-year inflation rate to 2.4%. The monthly increase was less than the 0.2%

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How the Trump/Musk dispute could influence mortgage rates

Today marked a significant development in the ongoing dialogue between President Trump and Elon Musk, as their relationship appears to have reached a critical point of conflict. The question for those in housing is: How could this impact mortgage rates moving forward? The 10-year yield saw a slight increase earlier as it reacted to the

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Federal Reserve Board Gov. Adriana Kugler

Fed’s Kugler not ready to look past tariff inflation

Federal Reserve Board NEW YORK — At least one Federal Reserve official expects tariffs to lead to higher inflation, and she is worried the effects could be long lasting.  Speaking before the Economic Club of New York on Thursday, Fed Gov. Adriana Kugler said she sees ways in which higher trade barriers could lead to

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Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo sheds asset cap, ending seven years of handcuffs

This story has been updated with an analyst’s comments. Wells Fargo has finally broken free from the regulatory shackles that have constricted its growth for more than seven years. The Federal Reserve announced Tuesday that it has lifted the $1.95 trillion asset cap it imposed on Wells in 2018. The cap’s termination is a watershed

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Former Fed vice chair Stanley Fischer dies at 81

Former Federal Reserve Vice Chair and noted macroeconomist Stanley Fischer, who passed away Saturday at 81.Bloomberg News (Bloomberg) — Stanley Fischer, a professor and practitioner of macroeconomics who helped guide central banks in two countries, Israel and the US, and mentored a younger generation of economic decision-makers, has died. He was 81. He died on

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Mortgage rates unfazed by crazy economic headlines

In one of the most chaotic weeks for economic headlines of the year, mortgage rates remained relatively stable, which is a stark contrast to the madness caused by the Godzilla tariffs a few weeks ago. Can this stability last?  Despite elevated rates, having fewer wild fluctuations on a day-to-day basis creates a healthier mortgage market

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Inflation is almost at 2%. Will that prompt a Fed rate cut?

The good news is the preferred measure of inflation for the Federal Reserve keeps trending downward. The bad news is that the economic backdrop that could lead to lower rates keeps getting more complicated. According to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index for April rose

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April PCE inflation comes in at 2.1%, nearing Fed goal

Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg The Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation continued to inch toward its 2% target last month, but the impact of higher tariffs have yet to reflect meaningfully in government data. The headline Personal Consumption Expenditure, or PCE, index increased 2.1% on an annualized basis in April, according to a report released by the

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