Monetary policy

Kevin Warsh set the table for change. Marvin Loh, managing director at State Street, discusses the FOMC meeting and Warsh's press conference.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis' personal consumption expenditures inflation report for May showed that inflation had risen 4.1%, meeting elevated expectations and casting further doubt on the prospects of near-term interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.

The Federal Reserve's new chair wants to change the way the central bank communicates with markets and the public. What those changes ultimately amount to could represent a major shift in an agency that has made transparency a guiding light for decades.

The newly minted Fed chairman announced working groups for his five top policy priorities and strictly refrained from forward guidance in his debut press conference Wednesday afternoon.

The Federal Reserve weighs rising inflation and a growing economy against a truce in the Middle East and the rise of artificial intelligence in the first monetary policy meeting under new Chair Kevin Warsh.

Newly minted Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh will host his inaugural press conference on Wednesday. Bankers will be paying close attention to what he says — and how he says it.

Federal Reserve Board Governor Jerome Powell's decision to remain on the board he once led combined with a lack of explicit rules governing Fed governance could lead to a power struggle that hasn't been seen in a generation.

Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said Friday that she believes price growth is still heading toward the central bank's 2% target when factoring out one-time shocks such as tariffs and elevated oil prices.

The Federal Reserve Board governor is the latest Fed official to embrace the prospect of tighter monetary policy in response to rapidly rising prices that have taken hold in recent years.

President Donald Trump administered Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh's oath of office in a ceremony Friday morning. Warsh is expected to pursue changes at the central bank, including a push to reduce its $6.7 billion balance sheet. 

Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller said in a speech Friday that he favors holding interest rates steady until energy prices fall, but noted that the central bank should be ready to hike rates if inflation gets too far out of hand.

Federal Reserve Gov. Michael Barr Thursday warned against efforts to shrink the central bank's balance sheet, saying that effort could undermine financial stability and disrupt money markets.

The Senate voted 54-45 to confirm Kevin Warsh to lead the central bank. Warsh will take the reins from Jerome Powell, who said he will remain on the Federal Reserve Board.

The Consumer Price Index for April showed consumer prices rising across all categories, including food and shelter costs, and up 3.8% year-over-year. Grocery prices rose 0.7% from the month prior.

Market watchers say that the economy as a whole is holding up under higher energy prices and do not expect a recession. Even so, observers are watching financial markets and consumer spending for signs that inflation expectations are taking hold.

The FOMC meeting will be interesting as Kevin Warsh takes the chair. KBRA Chief Strategist Van Hesser will review the meeting, the presser and the new dot plot.

Employers hired an additional 115,000 workers in April, while unemployment remained unchanged at 4.3%. Despite the positive headline figure, a spike in newly unemployed workers and a rising number of underemployed workers suggests instability under the surface.

Federal Reserve Gov. Michael Barr said Tuesday that the U.S. energy sector is more insulated from shocks than Europe's, particularly in natural gas prices. However, he warned that the war is pushing up gasoline prices, which could spill over into other parts of the economy.

Market watchers think Jerome Powell will maintain a low-key presence on the Fed board as he awaits the release of an inspector general report examining cost overruns at the central bank's headquarters.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told reporters Wednesday that he would remain on the Fed board after his term as chair expires next month, resolving the last and most significant open question about his departure and the onset of Kevin Warsh's leadership at the central bank.