The potential pulling back or altering the composition of the Fed’s accommodation to the economy via the financial channel will have an impact on interest rates that will directly affect what consumers pay for homes, autos and credit card interest. … READ MORE >
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CHART OF THE DAY: Fed projects U.S. will reach pre-pandemic goals by end of 2022
The Federal Open Market Committee’s projections that the economy will be back on track and meeting pre-pandemic expectations by the end of 2022 should play a role in resetting interest rate expectations by professional investors and firm managers over the next 18 months. … READ MORE >
Labor market improvement is not a one-way street: jobless claims increase to 412,000
First-time jobless claims increased to 412,000 for the week ending June 12, from a revised 375,000 previously, the government said on Thursday. However, the top-line increase remains well below the 529,200 13-week moving average within the series, implying that conditions for further improvement remain intact. … READ MORE >
FOMC comment: Fed creates context to end pandemic policy efforts
At the monthly meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee, the central bank kept its policy rate unchanged in a range between zero and 25 basis points. But it is clear we have entered the beginning of the end to the Fed’s emergency programs. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Housing market stays steady despite headwinds
Housing starts rose 3.6% to 1.57 million in May while permits dipped 3% to 1.68 million, according to Commerce Department data released on Wednesday. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Retail sales cool as stimulus boost wears off
After two months of growth in retail sales fueled in part by stimulus payments, retail sales cooled off in May, falling 1.3% and missing analyst estimates of a 0.8% gain. … READ MORE >
FOMC preview: Growth and inflation and tapering, oh my!
The Federal Open Market Committee will leave its policy rate unchanged at its meeting this week, but that decision will mask an underlying shift in its economic projections and policies. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: U.S. household net worth surges, but the gains are uneven
The net worth of U.S. households in the first quarter increased by nearly $5 trillion, or 3.8%, from the previous quarter to a record of $136.9 trillion. On an annual basis, that gain was $25.5 trillion, or 22.9%. But not all households benefited equally. … READ MORE >
What’s behind the recent decline in 10-year Treasury yields
The yield on 10-year Treasury bonds has dropped nearly 25 basis points to below 1.5%, touching 1.42% overnight on June 11 from its recent peak of 1.74% on March 31. … READ MORE >
5 things to know in life sciences: Week of June 7
From the new Alzheimer’s drug, aducanumab, to a White House report on supply chain risk, we highlight the latest impacting the life sciences industry. … READ MORE >