Federal Reserve System
Fed's Olson on US payment systems
At a EU/U.S. Retail Banking Forum Conference in Brussels on November 15, US Federal Reserve governor, Mark W. Olson, offered some insights into the US payments system.
Bernanke hawkish on inflation
In his confirmation hearing before the US Sentate Banking Committee, Ben Bernanke expressed some concerns about the current inflation rate in the US.
Greenspan praises labor flexibility
In a speech prepared for the Bank of Mexico's 80th Anniversary International Conference in Mexico City, departing US Federal Reserve president Alan Greenspan argued that policymakers can promote economic stability by enabling a flexible economic…
Bernanke on Bernanke
Central Banking selects key remarks on major policy issues by the Fed chairman- elect.
Fed governor testifies on Basel II
Federal Reserve governor Susan Schmidt Bies testified on 10 November before the US Senate committee on banking, housing, and urban affairs on the implementation of Basel II and revisions to Basel I.
Comment: Activism the ECB way
Yesterday, 9 November, Jean-Claude Trichet explained how the ECB's decision to leave interest rates unchanged for more than two years should not be equated to non-activist monetary policy.
New York Fed's Foreign Exchange Operations Report
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Treasury and Federal Reserve Foreign Exchange Operations quarterly report for July-September 2005, the U.S. monetary authorities did not intervene in the foreign exchange markets during the quarter.
Fed's Ferguson on monetary credibility & inflation
In the speech 'Monetary credibility, inflation, and economic growth' given on 3 November Roger Ferguson of the Federal Reserve said that central bankers must use "all our tools" to stop inflationary expectations from taking hold in the economy.
With Bernanke at bat, Fed will target inflation
According to this recent article, Ben Bernanke will devote significant staff resources to further study on issues he has spoken and written about, when he takes over at the Fed. And the advantages of his approach will become overwhelming enough in the…
Greenspan questions gold holding, notes usefulness
In testimony to Congress on Thursday 3 November Alan Greenspan said why the Fed holds gold is a very interesting question and it's one that has been debated at length on rare occasions within government.
Fed may be on road to neutral monetary policy
The Federal Open Market Committee will make the 13th consecutive rate increase at its next meeting on 13 December, as it continues on its way to the so-called neutral level, according to this article published on Wednesday 2 November.
Fed Reserve Bank of St Louis Review, Nov/Dec 2005
The latest edition of the St Louis Fed's Review for Nov/Dec 2005 includes the article "An analysis of recent studies of the effect of foreign exchange intervention" which surveys recent empirical studies of the effect of foreign exchange intervention and…
Fed's Greenspan on the economic outlook
In testimony 'Economic outlook' given on 3 November Alan Greenspan of the Federal Reserve said the U.S. economy has good momentum, but cautioned that the prospects for keeping inflation under control were more problematic.
Comment: Greenspan's parting shot
Alan Greenspan yesterday delivered his final Congressional testimony. Apart from an unsurprising, cautiously optimistic message on the short-run prospects for the U.S. economy, his parting shot came in the form of a stern warning to Congress that it…
The myth of the all-powerful Fed
Despite the outsized attention that any utterance from the Fed chair typically gets, the economic world isn't controlled by one person, or even one institution, this article published on Tuesday 1 November notes.
Fed raises rates, maintains 'measured' pace
The Federal Open Market Committee decided on Tuesday 1 November to raise its target for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 4 percent. In its statement the FOMC kept its 'measured' stance for removing policy accommodation and warned that energy…
Chairman nominee may bring new openness to the Fed
If Ben Bernanke has his way, the Federal Reserve is likely to become more open, according to this article published on Tuesday 1 November. His approach could lead to big changes in how the Fed communicates, it says.
Alan Greenspan gives Ben Bernanke some pointers
This article published on Monday 31 October carries a supposed conversation between Alan Greenspan and Ben Bernanke. It says that, according to press reports, Greenspan wanted Donald Kohn to head the Federal Reserve instead of Bernanke.
Bernanke's models, and their limits
This article published on Sunday 30 October asks what Ben Bernanke's academic work can tell us about the sort of Fed chairman he will make. He has written repeatedly about ways of using dauntingly complex mathematical models of the economy to set…
Bernanke steps into Greenspan's shoes
Although Ben Bernanke was nominated as Fed chairman this week, he has shown in the past that he isn't a fan of the conservative dress code favoured by central bankers. Bernanke surprised George W Bush by wearing a pair of tan socks with a dark suit to a…
Central bankers welcome Fed nominee
Following Ben Bernanke's nomination to succeed Alan Greenspan as chairman of the Federal Reserve, central bankers were out in force this week to welcome the move.
Interview with Ben Bernanke
In an interview published on Tuesday 25 October, but conducted before his nomination to the Fed, Ben Bernanke said that there was so far little reason to fear that the sharp rise in energy prices would feed through into wider inflation.
Greenspan at the Dallas Fed Branch dedication
In a speech given on 27 October Alan Greenspan of the Federal Reserve said while Mike Kelley served on the Board, he was keenly interested in a wide range of issues that spanned the gamut of what the Federal Reserve does.
Greenspan on the Council of Economic Advisers
In a speech given on 26 October Alan Greenspan of the Federal Reserve praised the advice provided to presidents by the Council of Economic Advisers.