Monetary policy

Another round of inflows was reported from the Investment Company Institute — the 31st consecutive week — but they came in at $308 million for the week ending Oct. 6, the lowest since outflows in March.

CB President Christine Lagarde said Wednesday that inflation “is largely attributable to the reopening of the economy.”

Bond investors may not wait long to start pushing back against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s efforts to delink the start of asset-purchase tapering from the countdown to eventual policy-rate hikes.

The members of Congress, in asking that Biden find some other, unspecified, nominee, are going against the preference of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who has told Biden advisers that she wants to see Powell renominated.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell risks inflation getting out of control and his assurance that the central bank can keep it in check neglects to mention this would require traumatic surgery, said former Richmond Fed President Jeffrey Lacker.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has told senior White House advisers that she supports reappointing Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chair, according to people familiar with the matter, a move that greatly increases his chance for a second term.

Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan said he’s open to adjusting his view that the Federal Reserve should start tapering its asset-purchase program sooner rather than later if the Delta variant persists and hurts economic progress.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that by the end of this year, monthly price changes will be running at a level consistent with the Federal Reserve’s target, even if year-over-year numbers continue to show uncomfortably high inflation.

The Federal Reserve is on track to begin increasing interest rates in 2023 if the economy performs as policy makers are projecting, Vice Chairman Richard Clarida said Wednesday.

President Joe Biden has a tough decision in choosing the next Federal Reserve chair: Play it safe by giving Jerome Powell a second term or take a chance on a liberal like Lael Brainard, who would please progressives in Congress yet potentially agitate Wall Street.