This look at interest rates and inflation in the U.S. over the past 50 years helps to clarify ideas about the Fed’s monetary policy and its own credibility. The authors examine three periods corresponding to three different policies: when the Fed operated without credibility, when it was earning credibility and when it was operating with credibility.
The Federal Reserve set the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 25 basis points in December 2008, to stimulate aggregate demand and job growth.
More young people, poor people and minorities are buying homes these days, but not because of tax deductions or government affordable-housing programs.
To figure out what a central bank should look like, consider that most have three features in common: independence, transparency and a goal of low and stable inflation.
Because food prices are no longer volatile, it makes little sense to exclude them anymore from calculations to determine core inflation.
The private sector and the Fed are seeing more eye-to-eye.
We all know the size of the Fed chairman's briefcase as a policy indicator is a joke. But would knowing what's inside the briefcase be of real help?
