Trump’s call on Powell to lower benchmark rates has no impact on direction of foreign exchange rates.

Reuters today posted yet another call by U.S. President Donald Trump for Jerome Powell, chairman of the Federal Open Market Committee to lower the target range for the federal funds rate. The target range for the federal funds rate is currently between 4.25% and 4.50%. The federal funds rate is a weighted average of the … Continue reading Trump’s call on Powell to lower benchmark rates has no impact on direction of foreign exchange rates.

Legal risks: Trump is getting the weakened dollar he wants. Does he have cause for removing Powell?

12 USC Sec. 242 says the following about the eligibility, selection, and removal of a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. Hold tight. It’s a mouthful: “The members of the Board shall be ineligible during the time they are in office and for two years thereafter to hold any office, position, … Continue reading Legal risks: Trump is getting the weakened dollar he wants. Does he have cause for removing Powell?

Not much moved me about Chairman Powell’s testimony this week …

Jerome Powell, chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System wrapped up his semi-annual visit to Capitol Hill basically saying all is well with the Fed’s implementation of monetary policy. Chairman Powell assured both the House yesterday and the Senate today that the labor market was at or near maximum employment although … Continue reading Not much moved me about Chairman Powell’s testimony this week …

Imagining overnight rate volatility from a President’s involvement in rate setting. Scary. …1:01 PM AST

American traders have been showing their overall ignorance of politics in reaction to President Trump’s expressions of disgust with Jerome Powell’s approach to interbank rates. The chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System has long pushed back against threats from the President to dismiss Mr. Powell from the chairmanship. Caselaw found … Continue reading Imagining overnight rate volatility from a President’s involvement in rate setting. Scary. …1:01 PM AST

Currency and money markets news scan: Will banks leave more money in their Federal Reserve bank vaults?

The takeaway: Will banks leave more money in their Federal Reserve bank vaults? Alejandro Riviera is upset today. He needs $200,000 per year in income in order to enjoy retirement with his wife, Anita, and the dog, Puff. Last week, with the two-year rate at 3.99%, Alejandro needed a portfolio of $5,012,531 to generate his … Continue reading Currency and money markets news scan: Will banks leave more money in their Federal Reserve bank vaults?

Interbank market news scan: On interest rates, traders be advised that Mr. Trump is out of his lane

Yesterday, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he would demand that the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System lower interest rates. Mr. Trump’s off the cuff remarks reminded me of a scene from “Air Force One” where Harrison Ford’s character during a speech made in a central Asian country shared a position on … Continue reading Interbank market news scan: On interest rates, traders be advised that Mr. Trump is out of his lane

Will the new administration apply Project 2025 reforms to the Federal Reserve?

Today is Fed Day, when the Federal Open Market Committee wraps up its two-day meeting on the state of the U.S. economy and issues its decision on the appropriate rates for regulating the interbank market. 12 USC 225(a) requires that: “The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Open Market Committee … Continue reading Will the new administration apply Project 2025 reforms to the Federal Reserve?

Dollar weakens after Powell’s testimony to Congress. Was it something he said?

Around 6:31 am yesterday, approximately three and one-half hours prior to Federal Reserve Board chairman Jerome Powell’s testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, the price of the U.S. dollar in terms of the euro, British pound, Japanese yen, Canadian dollar, and the Eastern Caribbean dollar was as follows: USD/EUR=0.9193 USD/GBP=0.7858 USD/JPY=149.7394 USD/CAD=1.3582 … Continue reading Dollar weakens after Powell’s testimony to Congress. Was it something he said?