A Fed Surprise
2/22/2010 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
The Fed raised the discount rate Friday—a baby step toward normalizing monetary policy.
Ben There. Done That. Now Let's Do It Again.
1/26/2010 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
Senators are dragging their feet over Fed chair Bernanke’s confirmation vote, but it’s very likely he’ll get another term.
A Limiting Proposal
1/22/2010 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
President Obama proposed further regulation of large financial institutions on Thursday, but lacking details, sent markets into a tailspin.
Euronomics
1/20/2010 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
The European economy overall continues to show signs of recovery.
Exits in Sight
12/3/2009 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
That some countries are mulling stimulus exit plans is a positive sign the global economic recovery has legs.
Back From the Brink
9/23/2009 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
A year after financial panic compelled the Treasury to insure money market funds, the program peacefully expired last Friday.
FDIC Out of Cash?
9/3/2009 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
The financial crisis was a big test, but there's little need to fear the FDIC will run out of money—even as bank failures continue rising.
The Monetary Punch
8/19/2009 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
Inflation’s absence tells us the Fed’s monetary punch is mixed just right.
Juggling Hats
7/22/2009 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke detailed current and future monetary policy in congressional testimony and a Wall Street Journal editorial Tuesday.
Coping With Stress
5/29/2009 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
The government is expected to announce the delay (perhaps a permanent one) of the Legacy Loans Program.
Extreme Makeover: Bank Edition
5/26/2009 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
Last Thursday’s failure of BankUnited was the largest bank failure of 2009, but there’s no need to panic.
Chucking Darts
5/4/2009 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
Don’t fret the recent rise in long-term US Treasury yields.
Head Scratchers
4/22/2009 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
Beltway bumbling remains a risk to bank stocks but doesn’t preclude a broader market recovery.
A Fed to Be Reckoned With
3/19/2009 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
The Fed proved it’s a force to be reckoned with, unveiling three additional strategies injecting up to an additional $1.15 trillion into capital markets.
Little Air in Deflation Fears
2/10/2009 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
Deflation is a near-term risk worth watching, though a severe deflationary spiral is unlikely to take hold in 2009.
Hop, Skip, and Jump
2/6/2009 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
What’s the right pace for monetary stimulus? The answer is not yet certain, though it’s likely a severe financial crisis needs an aggressive response.
Proceeding Aggressively With Caution
1/27/2009 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
Fed policy makers will likely exhibit both force and caution in their scheduled meetings this week.
Our Erratic Queen
11/28/2008 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
Rapidly falling prices have many worried about deflation.
Tooling Around
10/30/2008 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
Cutting the federal funds rate is just one monetary policy tool of many.
Fighting the Financial Crisis
10/9/2008 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
Central banks and governments around the world have taken up the call to arms.
Much Ado About Nothing
8/6/2008 By Fisher Investments Editorial Staff
Everyone knew the Fed would hold rates steady—what folks really cared about was what the Fed said.
Mark It to Market?
7/24/2008 By MarketMinder editorial staff
Freddie and Fannie may be proxies for Financials woes in many ways, including in the distortions of mark-to-market accounting.
Global Inflation Conflagration
6/16/2008 By MarketMinder editorial staff
Don’t fret inflation shock stories—global inflation remains benign.
A Design for Life
4/21/2008 By MarketMinder editorial staff
The Bank of England is redecorating, and the US Fed is their interior designer of choice. What do the new curtains look like?
Two Roads Diverged
4/11/2008 By MarketMinder editorial staff
Global central bank activity abounded yesterday. While worth noting, such small moves don’t matter much.
Surveying Lending
2/6/2008 By MarketMinder editorial staff
The recent Loan Officer Survey paints a dour picture on lending, but a closer look reveals far different results.
Super Ben, Part Deux
12/3/2007 By MarketMinder editorial staff
As the FOMC prepares to meet, the media predicts they’ll drop rates again to help “save” the economy from a credit crunch. We continue to view credit crisis fears as overblown and largely psychological.