Category: Federal Reserve System

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I see baby Boomers seeking yield. Will the U.S. central banking system accommodate them?

In comments made last week by a number of members of the Federal Open Market Committee, traders and investors should hold their horses on a cut in overnight banking rates anytime before June 2024. There appears to be some sentiment among Committee members that reducing the overnight lending rate between banks (federal funds rate) and … Continue reading I see baby Boomers seeking yield. Will the U.S. central banking system accommodate them?

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The Federal Reserve, banking, and managing political theatrics ….

The Federal Open Market Committee issued a decision last Wednesday to maintain the target range of its federal funds rate between 5.25% and 5.50%. For banks that need to borrow from the Federal Reserve System’s discount window, rates for this lender of last resort facility is at 5.50%. Within the interbank market, banks will continue to see … Continue reading The Federal Reserve, banking, and managing political theatrics ….

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Should a president be allowed to manage the economy where she doesn’t provide actual facts?

If a president can’t give you full facts about the political economy, then should she be managing it? Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that “inflation was at the pre-pandemic benchmark of 2 percent over the last six months of 2023.” The problem with this statement is that if year-over-year inflation was two percent during the … Continue reading Should a president be allowed to manage the economy where she doesn’t provide actual facts?

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How the Democratic and Republican philosophies differ on managing the value of the currency.

I liken the Democratic and Republican parties as two major management companies pitching their management styles as the best one for managing the political economy. Political campaigns between Democrats and Republicans are public battles over whose philosophy and narrative should be allowed to guide the nation-state. As “privateers” for the political economy, banks and their trading … Continue reading How the Democratic and Republican philosophies differ on managing the value of the currency.

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Beware of political strategists. Your goal is to become an agent of State power…

You should beware of today’s political strategist. Their job is to sell you on the idea of voting for certain candidates at best and, while they struggle with economics 101, sell you on proposed policies and legislation that supposedly are created to meet your self-interest. None of these strategists know you, but, according to their focus group … Continue reading Beware of political strategists. Your goal is to become an agent of State power…

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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.

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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?

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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?