Gary Siegel

A “fragile” economy and his expectations for a “more gradual” than forecast recovery mean “fiscal- and monetary-policy stimulus are essential,” Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Eric Rosengren said Wednesday.

Consumers’ view of the economy was less pessimistic in August, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Survey of Consumer Expectations.

The dot plot will be the star of the meeting, but the coronavirus and the elections will be part of the discussion, economists say.

Recent inflation data suggests an expected pickup in inflation, but economists see a different picture.

While the worst of the predictions failed to materialize — unemployment never hit the levels expected and most numbers started improving after a month or two — a second wave of the virus could take another bite out of the economy.

Many observers expect the Fed to move to yield curve control in September. But not everyone is sure this move will be needed.

When the pandemic ends, the Fed must remove accommodation, unlike after the Great Recession.

Steve Skancke, chief economic advisor at Keel Point, discusses negative interest rates and what parts of the market would suffer most from their implementation. Gary Siegel hosts.

Gary Zimmerman, CEO of MaxMyInterest, discusses the recent Federal Open Market Committee meeting, the challenges of responding to the coronavirus pandemic and the issues it caused, and why interest rates may have to stay low for longer than many expect. Gary Siegel hosts.

The Federal Open Market Committee meeting that began Tuesday will be unique because rates remain at the zero lower bound and the Fed has taken many actions to ensure smooth markets since the economic shutdown to contain the coronavirus.

Uncertainty remains the only constant regarding the coronavirus pandemic, and two Federal Reserve Bank presidents offered positive thoughts, although no definitive answers.

Although there’s still no way to tell how long the COVID-19 shutdown will last, or how much economic damage will result, the Federal Reserve’s speedy descent to the zero lower bound will assist the recovery, according to a report.

Municipal market participants are confused, to say the least, about the Federal Reserve and its ability to buy long-term municipal securities. And there’s a good reason for the puzzlement.

While some economists expect a V-shaped recovery, others say it will not be as sharp as the decline, and it could be years before output rises to pre-coronavirus levels.

Coronavirus-driven job losses are way beyond predicted, and expected to get worse, but most still see a V-shaped recovery.

Incoming data continued to show massive hits from the efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19, with jobless claims doubling and the New York manufacturing sector hitting all-time lows in activity.

Wednesday’s economic data were not as bad as projected, but included just the beginning of the effects of the coronavirus on the economy.

Consumer confidence dropped in March as the economy shut down to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but economists expected a larger decline.

While experts predict rates will not stay at zero lower bound as long as after the financial crisis, they don’t see a hike for years.

Consumer sentiment fell in March, with the final reading 89.1, its lowest since October 2016, down from 95.9 in the preliminary read.