Politics and policy

Christopher Waller

Fed’s Waller backs change to ‘dot plot’ economic outlook

Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher WallerBloomberg News As the Federal Reserve examines its approach to communications, one official said the central bank should consider changes to its quarterly forecasts. During an onstage appearance at an event hosted by the Bank of Korea, Fed Gov. Christopher Waller said he would like to see reforms to the summary […]

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Senate begins putting its stamp on giant Trump tax, debt limit bill

Significant changes are in store for President Donald Trump’s signature $3.9 trillion tax-cut bill as the Senate begins closed-door talks this week on legislation that squeaked through the House by a single vote.  Senate Republican leaders are aiming to make permanent many of the temporary tax cuts in the House bill, a move that would

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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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‘Reject Trump HUD cuts,’ city, state leaders tell Congress

A coalition of elected officials across the country is calling on Congress to continue funding of affordable housing programs targeted for elimination by the Trump administration.  Trump’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget calls for the cancellation of the Community Development Block Grant and Home Investment Partnerships programs, both offered through the Department of Housing and

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President Trump walks with Fed Chair-nominee Jerome Powell

Trump, Powell discuss economic outlook at White House

Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday to discuss the economic outlook and monetary policy. During the meeting, Powell did not discuss his outlook for the federal funds rate, according to a statement issued by the Fed on Thursday afternoon. Instead, the central bank

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Musk departs White House, leaving CFPB in limbo

Nathan Laine/Bloomberg WASHINGTON — Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration after guiding some of President Donald Trump’s most radical attempts to dissolve government agencies, including efforts to greatly diminish the headcount at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  Musk’s time in Washington has been fraught with uncertainty, including the extent to which he is responsible

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What Trump’s latest GSE comments could mean for mortgages

Experts are weighing the future of mortgage rates and guarantee fees following the Trump administration’s strong yet mixed messaging on the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. President Trump in a Truth Social post Tuesday said he’s working on taking the government-sponsored enterprises public, stating they would retain their “implicit guarantees,” and that he

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Federal Reserve Board at Federal Open Market Committee March 2025

FOMC minutes reveal disagreement on possible tariff impacts

Federal Reserve Federal Reserve officials were split about the potential inflationary impact of higher tariff rates during the central bank’s monetary policy meeting last month. Some members of the Federal Open Market Committee voiced concern that elevated import taxes could result in supply chain disruptions that lead to “persistent effects on inflation, reminiscent of such

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Banks’ net income rises in first quarter, FDIC says

Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg The banking industry demonstrated steady earnings performance in the first quarter despite signs of stress in real estate portfolios, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. FDIC acting Chairman Travis Hill offered a measured outlook for the industry during a Tuesday press conference announcing the quarterly report, noting banks were putting aside slightly

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Stress-test suit pause lets all sides fight another day

The Federal Reserve and several industry groups have agreed to put their lawsuit over stress testing on pause, an outcome that gives all sides a reprieve without sacrificing their legal optionality. Late last week, the Fed joined the Bank Policy Institute, the American Bankers Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a pair of Ohio

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