News
Market Watch | Post-QE2 plans the focus of Bernanke conference
For good reason, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has been studying videotapes of foreign central bankers and having staffers pepper him with questions ahead of his first-ever press conference Wednesday to discuss an interest rate decision.
Bloomberg | Dollar Weakens to 16-Month Low Versus Euro Before Fed; Yen Slides on S&P
The dollar dropped to a 16-month low versus the euro on speculation the Federal Reserve will signal today it will hold interest rates steady to support the U.S. economy after its bond-buying program expires in June.
Market Watch | Geithner talks tough on U.S. dollar
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner talked tough on the U.S. dollar Tuesday, saying that the United States will never attempt to lower the value of the greenback to gain an advantage in global trade.
CNN: Money | What's really driving inflation
When Federal Reserve policymakers get together to talk about inflation, they focus on the "core" number, which takes out food and energy.
WSJ | Bernanke's Code: a Guide to Fed Chairman's First Q&A
When Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke makes his debut press conference Wednesday, his every word will be parsed for signs of where he hopes to take U.S. monetary policy.
Washington Times | Fed likely to quit buying bonds, putting Congress in debt corner
Bernanke seeks to allay criticism at news conference.
Econ Comments
Minyanville | Is US Inflation Nearing A Cyclical Peak?
Why the CPI inflation rate may surprise financial markets on the upside and lend further support to inflation hedges such as gold and silver.
Bloomberg | Fed’s ‘Extended Period’ Pledge May End in 2011, Economists Say
Federal Reserve officials will probably prepare to pull back from record stimulus by dropping a pledge this year to hold the main interest rate near zero for an “extended period,” according to a Bloomberg News survey.
CNN: Money | Critics Say Fed Policies Devalue the U.S. Dollar
"One of the fundamental problems with the U.S. economy right now is the Federal Reserve thinks the answer to all our economic problems is printing money,"
RCM | Let's Be Truthful, Inflation Is Already Here
The rising price of energy, broad-based increases in the price of other commodities, as well as the negative S&P outlook for U.S. debt puts the country in a rapidly changing environment for expected inflation.
AEI: American The Fed vs. the FDIC on Lehman’s Failure
A recent FDIC report on Lehman Brothers’s financial condition before its failure puts in doubt the Federal Reserve’s account of its decision- making, and raises significant questions about the nature of the financial crisis.
Minyanville | High-Risk Bonds and Inflation Expectations
High-risk bonds could benefit from rising inflation expectations until short-term interest rates begin to rise. But have we reached that point when too much of a good thing turns ugly?
Blogs
WSJ: MarketBeat | Don’t Expect ‘Few Good Men’ Moment from Fed
I just want to go on the record here: tomorrow’s heavily publicized, much ballyhooed Ben Bernanke press conference will ultimately be a nonevent.
