by Richard Roberts | Jan 11, 2025 | General, Inflation
The U.S. economy is walking a tightrope. A fragile balance lies beneath the surface of robust labor market performance and sustained consumer spending, where persistent inflation, frothy asset markets, a growing budget deficit, and looming uncertainties could ignite a...
by Richard Roberts | Sep 28, 2024 | FOMC, Inflation
In a surprising move last week, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 50 basis points, citing unconvincing and vague concerns about labor market cracks as the primary rationale. As I discussed in my recent MNI Podcast episode, FedSpeak: 50bp Not New Easing...
by Richard Roberts | May 11, 2024 | FOMC, General, Inflation
Monetary policy isn’t just about interest rates but the delicate dance of expectations and reality. In my recent op-ed for The Hill, I delve into how Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s messaging creates paradoxical outcomes that influence everything from inflation...
by Richard Roberts | Apr 17, 2022 | COVID-19, FOMC, Inflation
The Federal Reserve has finally begun its long-awaited tightening cycle, raising the federal funds rate by 25 basis points in March—the first increase since 2018. This move comes as inflation, measured by the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, surged...
by Richard Roberts | May 22, 2021 | COVID-19, FOMC, Inflation
Under Chair Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve continues to reassure markets and the public that the current inflationary pressures are “transitory.” This conveniently allows the Central Bank to keep interest rates low to ensure the economy is well out of...
by Richard Roberts | Mar 14, 2021 | COVID-19, FOMC, Inflation
As we move further into 2021, the economy is rebounding from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stimulus checks, enhanced unemployment benefits, and unprecedented monetary policy actions have fueled a recovery that, on the surface, looks robust. Yet, beneath...
