Federal Reservations

Treasury prices rise on Friday, pushing yields lower, as a lack of fresh U.S. economic data allows investors to rethink Thursday’s, and the Fed continues with Operation Twist.

Originally from MarketWatch

Treasury prices rise on Friday, pushing yields lower, as a lack of fresh U.S. economic data allows investors to rethink Thursday’s, and the Fed swaps out

Originally from MarketWatch

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- The Federal Reserve extended by a month the period to comment on the prudential standards and early remediation requirements of the Dodd-Frank bank reform law. Commenters now have until April 30 to submit views on issues including capital, liquidity, single counterparty credit limits, stress testing, risk management, and early remediation requirements.

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Crude-oil futures point modestly higher, with muted gains reflecting energy traders’ worries that the Fed won’t launch fresh monetary stimulus.

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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has begun his second day of testimony to Congress on Thursday on the economic outlook and the central bank's monetary policy stance. On Wednesday, Bernanke told the House Financial Services panel that the economy was sending "different signals," with a more rapid decline in the unemployment rate than might have been expected given the moderate growth rate. "It will be especially important to evaluate incoming information to assess the underlying pace of economic recovery," he said. Bernanke said that rising gasoline prices will move inflation up temporarily but will also reduce consumer purchasing power. The Fed chairman said little about the prospects for another round of asset purchases, or quantitative easing, causing some analysts to say it is less likely the central bank will conduct another round of purchases. Analysts said Bernanke will get a chance to refine his message when he testifies to the Senate Banking Committee.

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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- The Commerce Department said Thursday that personal income rose 0.3% in January after a 0.5% jump in December. Consumer spending edged up 0.2% after no movement at all in December. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected 0.4% gains for both income and spending. Consumer spending, while worse than forecast, had some positive signs in January. Durable-good spending climbed 0.9% and nondurable good spending rose 0.4%. It was only services spending that was flat, and that may have been impacted by a lesser need to heat homes due to the fourth-warmest January on record. An inflation gauge the Federal Reserve closely tracks, the personal consumption expenditure price index, rose 0.2% in January after a 0.1% gain in December. Core PCE inflation, which strips out food and energy, rose 0.2%, matching economist expectations.

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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Sandra Pianalto said Thursday that she is comfortable with the current stance of monetary policy. "I would prefer nothing more that to support an increase in interest rates before late 2014 on the basis of a brighter outlook for economic growth - but I am not there yet," Pianalto said in a speech to The City Club of Cleveland. Pianalto said she does not support "doing more" at this time because it could create too much inflation risk. Doing less could risk weakening an already slow expansion, she said. Pianalto is a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee this year.

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Crude-oil futures point modestly higher, with muted gains reflecting energy traders’ worries that the Fed won’t launch fresh monetary stimulus.

Originally from MarketWatch

I read a newspaper article today suggesting that Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke would not be stimulating the economy because of the inflationary impact of higher oil prices. Huh?

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The dollar drifts lower after notching big gains the previous day on testimony from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

Originally from MarketWatch