FOMC

“Everybody’s getting a lot more comfortable with having the virus under control and we are starting to see it in the form of economic activity,” said Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller.

The Federal Reserve will likely taper off its bond purchases before considering raising interest rates, Chairman Jerome Powell said.

“It’s too early to talk about changing monetary policy ... We want to stay with our very easy monetary policy while we are still in the pandemic tunnel.” Bullard said Monday.

Federal Reserve Vice Chair Richard Clarida said policy makers will await evidence on whether they’re reaching their goals on price stability and employment before adjusting monetary policy.

AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka called on President Joe Biden to use a current vacancy on the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors to bring greater diversity to the central bank.

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President Mary Daly said she’s “bullish” on the rebound of the U.S. economy, but there is still a long way before the recovery is complete and will wait for the data to show it.

The Investment Company Institute reported another week of inflows, $800-plus million, as participants focus on that part of the market as an indicator of how munis will fare during tax season.

Jack Janasiewicz, senior vice president, portfolio manager and portfolio strategist at Natixis Investment Managers Solutions, discusses inflation and why there is disagreement on whether it will become an issue this year. He talks about how stimulus money and the employment situation factor in. Gary Siegel hosts. (Taped March 9 / 30 minutes).

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said prices would rise this year as the pandemic recedes and Americans are able to go out and spend, but he played down the risk that this would spur unwanted inflation.

Dallas Federal Reserve President Robert Kaplan said he is among policy makers estimating that the central bank will have to raise interest rates next year.