Federal Reserve

Fed to offer interest rate forecasts

In a major shift, the U.S. Federal Reserve will start updating the public four times a year on how long it plans to keep short-term interest rates at record lows, according to minutes from its December policy meeting.

By Wire services |January 3, 2012

2 min read

Economic Indicators

U.S. Fed between rock and a hard place

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke just can’t win. The markets are pressuring him to take more action to stimulate growth and assuage investor fears, while GOP presidential candidates are leaning for less action.

By Staff |September 19, 2011

1 min read

Economic Indicators

It’s up to Congress now: Bernanke

U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke has proposed no new steps to boost the American economy, hinting that Congress may need to act to stimulate hiring and growth.

By Wire services |August 26, 2011

2 min read

Economic Indicators

Fed to leave rates “near zero” until 2013

There was no mention of a third round of quantitative easing, but the Federal Open Market Committee has announced it will leave interest rates near zero until at least mid-2013. The Federal Reserve has held rates at just 25 basis points since December 2008. Until today, the Fed had said it would keep it low […]

By Staff |August 9, 2011

2 min read

End of QE2 won’t impact Canada

The expiration of the U.S. Fed’s second round of quantitative easing—dubbed QE2—will have little or no implication for the Canadian market according to experts north of the border. The post-QE2 outlook started garnering considerable interest as the Federal Reserve announced it will turn off its $600 billion tap in June as planned in light of […]

2 min read

Fed signals end to QE2

The Federal Reserve is signalling that its $600 billion Treasury bond-buying program will end in June as planned because the economy has strengthened and companies are starting to hire more. Ending a two-day meeting Wednesday, the Fed made no changes to the program. The decision was unanimous. The bond purchases were intended to lower loan […]

2 min read

QE2 likely won’t help U.S. economy

While the stock markets have (eventually) responded enthusiastically to the Federal Reserve’s second round of quantitative easing, economists question whether the program will have the desired effect of re-inflating the U.S. economy. At best, the Fed appears to have simply ensured interest rates will remain at rock-bottom levels at least until June. That would be […]

By Steven Lamb |November 4, 2010

2 min read

More U.S. regions report slower growth: Fed

The Federal Reserve says more regions in the United States are reporting slower growth as a result of the U.S. economy losing momentum in the late summer. Although the economy was still growing in late summer, the Fed says there were “widespread signs of deceleration.” The latest Beige Book survey by the Fed says economic […]

By Wire services |September 8, 2010

1 min read