The Court’s role in supporting monetary policy.

At times I think that traders and bank depositors operate in sandboxes oblivious to the rest of the playground that surrounds their play area. The media offers enough noise to distract market participants from the philosophy that orders the interaction between the State, the banking system, and transactional markets. I consider banks to be the retailer of … Continue reading The Court’s role in supporting monetary policy.

The federal funds rate: In the end, is it not about supporting the banking system?

The Federal Open Market Committee is set to meet on December 12-13, 2023 to determine the target range for the federal funds rate. The federal funds rate is the interest rate at which depository institutions lend balances held either at the Federal Reserve or in their bank vaults to other depository institutions overnight. The current … Continue reading The federal funds rate: In the end, is it not about supporting the banking system?

What is the federal funds rate? Should the Fed worry about not meeting its mandates under law?

Today’s rates …. 30-Day Federal Funds Futures: 94.69. Effective Federal Funds Rate: 5.33%. Interest on Reserve Balances: 5.40%. Discount Window: 5.50%. CME FedWatch: 96.8%. EUR/USD=1.0931. GBP/USD=1.2594. USD/JPY=149.6608. (Foreign exchange rates as of 7:38 pm EDT.) Today’s definition … Federal funds rate-the interest rate at which depository institutions lend reserve balances to other depository institutions overnight. … Continue reading What is the federal funds rate? Should the Fed worry about not meeting its mandates under law?

Interbank market: Federal Reserve rates for a holiday shortened week and Fed clarity.

Today’s rates … 30-Day Federal Funds Futures: 94.70. Effective Federal Funds Rate: 5.33%. Interest on Reserve Balances: 5.40. Discount Window: 5.50%. EUR/USD=1.0923. USD/JPY=149.4885. Today’s definition …. interbank market– “The interbank market is a global network utilized by financial institutions to trade currencies and other currency derivatives directly between themselves. While some interbank trading is done by banks on … Continue reading Interbank market: Federal Reserve rates for a holiday shortened week and Fed clarity.

One Fed governor and one Fed bank president emphasize caution on rates ….

The takeaway … Loretta Mester, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland shared with CNBC her view that while the recent consumer price index print for October 2023 was positive, the Federal Reserve System was not going to react to one data release. Inflation in October, as measured by the … Continue reading One Fed governor and one Fed bank president emphasize caution on rates ….

Crypto: If passed, how long will regulators hold back from chipping away at the Keep Your Coins Act?

The takeaway … Last week, U.S. Senator Ted Budd, Republican of North Carolina, introduced S.3229, the Keep Your Coins Act. The bill prohibits Federal agencies from restricting the use of convertible virtual currency by a person to purchase goods or services for the person’s own use, and for other purposes. Customers are allowed, under the … Continue reading Crypto: If passed, how long will regulators hold back from chipping away at the Keep Your Coins Act?

Jerome Powell simply chooses not to opine on fiscal policy. Congress chooses not to read the Fed’s reports.

The takeaway … Two times a year, the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System heads up to Capitol Hill to deliver a semi-annual report on the state of U.S. monetary policy to both chambers of Congress. You can almost guarantee that at least two representatives or two senators will ask … Continue reading Jerome Powell simply chooses not to opine on fiscal policy. Congress chooses not to read the Fed’s reports.