Federal Reserve officials last month agreed that, with inflation widening its grip on the economy and employment strong, it was time to tighten monetary policy, but also that decisions would depend on a meeting-by-meeting analysis of data, according to minutes of the Jan. 25-26 policy meeting.Participants agreed that the US …
Read More »FOMC Minutes: Most Policymakers Suggested Faster Interest Rate Hike
The minutes of the 25-26 January FOMC meeting, released on Wednesday, said that most participants suggested that a faster pace of increases in the target rate for the Federal Funds rate than in the post-2015 period would likely be warranted. Additional Quotes Participants continued to stress that maintaining flexibility to …
Read More »Lane: BoC will be forceful in using tools to combat inflation
Bank of Canada Deputy Governor Timothy Lane said on Wednesday that the central bank will be nimble and, if necessary, forceful in using its monetary policy tools to tackle inflation, according to Reuters.We are alert to the risk that inflation may again prove more persistent, he continued, adding that we …
Read More »Kazimir Defends ECB Policy In Clash With Minister Over Prices
Some European Central Bank officials are coming under increasing heat from Eurozone governments as accelerating inflation stokes tension.Governing Council member Peter Kazimir of Slovakia defended the Frankfurt-based ECB on Wednesday against his country’s economy minister, Richard Sulik, who said asset purchases under the bank’s quantitative easing program were hurting consumers. …
Read More »Canadian Dollar Gains As Investors Digest Hot Inflation Data
The Canadian dollar strengthened against its US counterpart on Wednesday as oil prices rose and domestic data showed inflation further heating up in January.Canada’s annual inflation rate accelerated in January to a 30-year high of 5.1%, as food and housing costs continued to rise, while the average of the Bank …
Read More »US Retail Sales Hit Record Highlighting Economic Strength
US retail sales increased to a fresh record high in 10 months in January, lifting the level of sales to a record high amid a surge in purchases of motor vehicles and other goods, but higher prices could limit the boost to economic growth this quarter.The report from the Commerce …
Read More »What Kind of Unkind Surprise Could FOMC Minutes Bring About?
The Federal Reserve is scheduled to release minutes of its January meeting later Wednesday but the market seems to have already moved on.With minutes from the US Federal Reserve’s January meeting due out Wednesday, crypto traders might be forgiven for dismissing them entirely.Look how drastically the environment has changed in …
Read More »Kashkari: Fed Will Do What Is Needed To Bring Back Balance
Minneapolis Federal Reserve President and FOMC member Neel Kashkari said on Wednesday that the Fed is going to do what is needed to bring the economy back into balance. Some of the inflation should fade on its own as stimulus fades and people switch to buying services, he added. Kashkari …
Read More »NFB: Canada’s Economic weaknesses not coinciding with disinflation
The Canadian Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose in January 0.9% above the 0.6% of market consensus, showed data released on Wednesday.Analysts at the National Bank of Canada point out that annual inflation continues to rise with widespread price increases despite the slowdown in economic activity in January. Key Quotes: “The …
Read More »Canada: Annual CPI Rises to 5.1% in January
The headline Canadian Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose at an annual pace of 5.1% in January, above median economist forecasts for a pace of 4.8% and above December’s 4.8% YoY rate of price growth, according to data released by Statistics Canada on Wednesday. MoM, headline price growth came in at 0.9%, well …
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