Tag: Economic Performance/Indicators
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First drugs to face Medicare price penalty called
U.S. health officials released the first list of drugs paid for by the government’s Medicare insurance program whose prices rose more than inflation and will be fined under a new federal law. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Wednesday named 27 medications that had the big price increases, including AbbVie’s rheumatoid arthritis treatment […]
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US consumer spending fell in February after a brisk start to the year
Retail sales fell in February as consumers pulled back after a strong start to the year amid high interest rates and inflation. Spending in stores, online and in restaurants fell a seasonally adjusted 0.4% in February, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. Sales in January were revised to a gain of 3.2%. Retail sales figures are […]
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Inflation report comes in as Fed confronts bank failures
The Labor Department’s inflation data on Tuesday will inform the Federal Reserve of price pressures in the economy as the central bank faces bank failures. Inflation has cooled after a recent peak last June, but remains stubbornly high. The consumer price index, a closely monitored measure of inflation, rose 6.4% in January from a year […]
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Jitters in the banking sector could spell more pain for stocks as the Fed’s battle with inflation continues
Aftershocks from the collapse of three US banks in less than a week could hurt stocks even more in the coming weeks by creating new obstacles for the Federal Reserve in its fight against inflation, market strategists say. U.S. authorities, including the Fed, Treasury and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., jointly announced Sunday evening that Signature […]
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Banking crisis calls into question Fed rate path
There is a saying that the Federal Reserve raises interest rates until something breaks. A big surprise of the past year was that nothing broke. The situation could force Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and his colleagues to choose which issue the central bank needs. “We have always said that the only thing that could derail […]
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Jobs report, bank failure complicates outlook on interest rates
The February employment report does little to detract from the economic outlook for Federal Reserve officials, who are considering how much to raise interest rates at their upcoming meeting. But the bankruptcy of a California bank on Friday prompted investors on Wall Street to place their bets that the central bank would opt for a […]
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The Fed’s Jerome Powell says data will determine the size of the next rate hike
WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday that officials were keeping their options open about how much to raise interest rates this month after investors interpreted his comments Tuesday as suggesting a half-percentage point hike was likely. His remarks during two days of congressional hearings show how the central bank is considering a […]
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Jerome Powell testifies before Congress on outlook for interest rates and inflation
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is likely to warn on Capitol Hill that strong economic activity this year could lead Federal Reserve officials to raise interest rates more than they expected to combat high inflation. Mr. Powell does set to testify for two days, beginning Tuesday at 10 a.m. Eastern Time before the Senate Banking […]
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Which will be more difficult for the Fed? Taming inflation or office renovation costs?
WASHINGTON — Anyone with a recent home renovation project that suffered from escalating costs, shortages and delays now has a distinctive business: The Federal Reserve, the U.S. institution charged with controlling inflation, is also struggling to keep spending on its palatial digs low. to hold. The central bank is in the midst of a long-running […]
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Inflation data pushed 10-year Treasury rates above 4%. How much higher can interest rates go?
Signs of continued strength in the US labor market plus continued inflation from Europe were all bond investors needed this week to push rates to new milestones as rate expectations continue to be revised. The yield on 10-year government bonds TMUBMUSD10Y Thursday’s US session finished above 4% for the first time since November and was […]