Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City

While the number of people filing for unemployment dropped to 4.4 million, there are now 26 million Americans without work and economists expect the unemployment rate to hit 20%.

Initial jobless claims surged, as expected, hitting an all-time high of a seasonally adjusted 3.283 million in the week ended March 21, as the impacts of the coronavirus-driven closures showed in the numbers, the Labor Department said. The previous high for claims was 695,000 in October 1982.

When the Federal Reserve began expanding its balance sheet with quantitative easing, it was seen as an emergency measure. Yet a decade later, the Fed is again in jeopardy of hitting zero lower bound and its balance sheet remains large.

The Fed should hold rates and wait for the three 2019 cuts to work their way through the economy before deciding its next move, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Esther George said Tuesday.

Most observers were skeptical, even as markets rallied after President Trump said a trade deal with China is close.

September durable goods orders fell more than expected, while orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft also dropped, suggesting production won't rebound this year.

Monetary policy may not be the answer for what ails the economy, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Esther George said Friday.

Two dissents on the vote to cut rates were the first of Chairman Jerome Powell's term.

Every coin has two sides and that is the case with a possible September rate cut.

The debate over yield curve inversion continued, as a summer Friday yielded little economic data, but the market waits to parse the minutes of the most recent Federal Open Market Committee and then eyes will turn to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s annual Jackson Hole retreat.

“Growth of 2.1% is better than expected, but highly reliant on a surge in household consumption.”

Durable goods orders rose as non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft posted their largest gain since February 2018.

While tariffs will certainly cause an uptick in inflation, the Federal Reserve can hold rates, according to Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams.

Respondents to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's monthly manufacturing survey reported moderate acceleration of growth in March.

Respondents to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's monthly manufacturing survey reported slower growth in February, while expectations slipped.

Federal Reserve officials are getting their stories straight on the U.S. economy.

Labor market “activity declined modestly and momentum remained high in January,” as the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Labor Market Conditions Indicators (LMCI) slid to 0.97 from 1.06 in December, the Bank said Wednesday.

Reserve balances still affect the fed funds rate, according to Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Senior Economist A. Lee Smith.

Respondents to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's monthly manufacturing survey reported slower growth in January, while expectations grew.

Monetary policy is close to a neutral level and the Fed needs to be cautious and patient about future rate hikes, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Esther George said Tuesday.