Category Archives: Federal Reserve

Richmond Fed’s Jeffrey Lacker Departs Due to Leak: Defenestration as Coverup?

In a stunning development, Richmond Fed president Lacker resigned over a leak under investigation since 2012. The details are not pretty.

Commercial & Residential Real Estate Bubble Again a Risk to Financial Stability; Fed’s Rosengren Worried

Real estate is again looking like a ticking time bomb. At super low interest rates, pray tell what does the Fed do if it blows up again?

Bill Black: New York Times’ Andrew Ross Sorkin Tries to Make Hank Paulson a Hero

As part of reviewing Obama’s legacy, Bill Black eviscerates how Sorkin’s book tried to exhonorate Hank Paulson for his crisis performance.

The Fed in an Age of Uncertainty

How uncertainty over the wisdom of the Fed starting to tighten in 2017 and its reading of Trump policies might impact other economies.

Tom Ferguson: Monetary Policy Can’t Levitate a Broken Economy

How central banks’ policy remedies have taken big steps backwards.

Republicans Likely to Pass “Audit the Fed”

“Audit the Fed” is likely to become law. It’s about time.

Michael Hudson: Economists’ Deadly but Innocuous-Seeming Proclamations

A wide-ranging interview by Michael Hudson on the mind games that economists play.

Monetary Policy at the Time of Elections

How much was the Federal Reserve standing pat on interest rates linked to the election, and what can be expected for the future?

Easy Money is Dangerous Without Activist Fiscal Policy

Why over-reliance on monetary policy and the failure to engage in fiscal deficits is a toxic mix.

Private Equity Consultant Hamilton Lane Trots Out New Excuse, “Evil Populists,” for Already-Flagging Private Equity Performance

Funny how it’s OK for defenders of the 0.1% like Hamilton Lane to blame class warfare on their soon-to-be-fallen standing, but not the 99%.

Wells Fargo CEO Stumpf Tries to Brazen Out Fraud as Congressmen Call Wells a “Criminal Enterprise,” Demand Breakup

Stumpf has another deservedly bad day in the Congressional hot seat.

Wolf Richter: “Negative Growth” of Real Wages is Normal for Much of the Workforce, and Getting Worse – New York Fed

The Fed ‘s creative euphemisms for how real wages are sinking for many won’t keep threats like Trump at bay.

The Private Debt Crisis

Why private debt is so dangerous, and why that risk looms large, particularly in China.

The Rise and Rise of the Bubble Managers

It’s becoming even more obvious that Fed policy is focused on keeping the bubble inflated over real economy concerns.

Thomas Palley: The Fed’s Misguided Approach to Tightening

The Fed touted its “creativity” in bailing out banks during the crisis. That “creativity” is absent in how it is planning to exit its extraordinary policies.