Tag: Jerome Powell

• Monday, May 18th 2020 - 08:15 UTC

  Fed chief forecasts US economy could easily contract 20 to 30% this quarter

  

  The business shutdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic could “easily” cause the US economy to collapse by 20 to 30% this quarter, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Sunday. Data show more than 30 million jobs were destroyed in the world's top economy, as businesses were shuttered nationwide amid the efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.

• Thursday, April 30th 2020 - 07:48 UTC

  US economy down 4.8% in first quarter and an “unprecedented” drop forecasted for the second quarter

  

  The U.S. central bank that has already slashed interest rates to zero reiterated on Wednesday they will stay there until the economy is clearly back on track. It has also rolled out around US$ 2 trillion in lending commitments, and Fed chief Jerome Powell said it was ready to do more as needed.

• Friday, April 10th 2020 - 14:50 UTC

  US Fed and Bank of England ramp up emergency responses to the escalating recession in unchartered waters

  

  The U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of England ramped up their emergency responses to the world's escalating coronavirus recession on Thursday as they pushed deeper into territory once considered fraught with risk for central bankers.

• Monday, March 16th 2020 - 11:19 UTC

  G7 global rescue: Fed cuts rates to almost zero and launches US$ 700bn stimulus program

  

  The US has cut interest rates to almost zero and launched a US$ 700bn stimulus program in a bid to protect the economy from the effect of coronavirus. It is part of a coordinated action announced on Sunday in the UK, Japan, the Eurozone, Canada, and Switzerland.

• Thursday, November 14th 2019 - 09:50 UTC

  Fed chief Powell urged Congress to take action on rising US debt and deficit

  

  Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell urged Congress on Wednesday to take action on the rising US debt and deficit to ensure the continued growth of the American economy. Called before the Joint Economic Committee to discuss the economic outlook, the central bank chief stressed that it was not his role to give policy advice, before he gave diplomatically-worded policy advice.

• Thursday, October 31st 2019 - 09:01 UTC

  Fed lowers benchmark by a quarter point: third cut in four months

  

  The US central bank has cut interest rates again, hoping to shield the economy from the impact of trade wars and a global slowdown. The Federal Reserve lowered the target for its benchmark rate by a quarter-point, to a range of 1.5% to 1.75%. The move was the third cut in four months.

• Sunday, October 20th 2019 - 10:50 UTC

  Lagarde tells Trump and world leaders to act like grownups in trade conflicts

  

  Former IMF chief Christine Lagarde said President Donald Trump's trade offensive against China could slash global economic growth and she critiqued his Twitter habits in an interview with US television program 60 Minutes.

• Saturday, October 12th 2019 - 09:10 UTC

  Fed announces supply of reserves plan to avoid “cash crunches”

  

  The Federal Reserve has announced a new program to boost liquidity in the US financial plumbing and allow the central bank to better manage interest rates, but without changing monetary policy.

• Saturday, October 5th 2019 - 09:37 UTC

  US unemployment at a record 50-year low in September, but manufacturing fell sharply

  

  The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to near a 50-year low of 3.5per cent in September, with job growth increasing moderately, suggesting the slowing economy could avoid a recession for now despite trade tensions that are hammering manufacturing.

• Tuesday, August 6th 2019 - 09:06 UTC

  Fed expected to further lower interest rate as trade tensions with China increase

  

  Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who last week cut U.S. interest rates as an insurance policy against the effects of “simmering” trade tensions, may need to buy more coverage after the United States late on Monday designated China a currency manipulator.