Monetary policy

Although the Federal Reserve projects two rate hikes in 2019, Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams stressed that those are based on expectations of economic conditions and are not a commitment.

Monetary policy may need to become restrictive at some point, but the Summary of Economic Projections is “not a signal” that it will, Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday.

The Federal Reserve raised borrowing costs for the fourth time this year, ignoring a stock-market selloff and defying pressure from President Donald Trump, while dialing back projections for interest rates and economic growth in 2019.

A few deals trickled into a stronger market, ahead of Wednesday’s interest rate announcement.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin dismissed the economic significance of a flattening yield curve that some investors see as potential precursor to a U.S. recession.

Market participants will focus on reading the tea leaves of the Fed statement Wednesday.

The municipal bond market will see a week of meager issuance, as all eyes are on the Federal Open Market Committee and its upcoming meeting.

While bond market prognosticators are confident the Federal Open Market Committee will raise the fed funds rate target by 25 basis points this week, they remain less certain on the outlook for 2019.

With Washington aflutter over the rising likelihood for a government shutdown, Wall Street’s reaction amounted to little more than a shrug.

U.S. government debt is on track this year to rise at the fastest pace since 2012.

Arthur Bass, managing director of fixed income financing, futures and rates at Wedbush, discusses the yield curve inversion, recession chances and the Federal Reserve. Gary Siegel hosts.

Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard said U.S. economic momentum is strong and a gradual approach to interest-rate increases remains appropriate for now.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell delivered a bullish assessment of the U.S. economy and the job market.

With monetary policy close to neutral levels and no signs of an overheating economy, the Federal Reserve should move cautiously, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic said Thursday.

Traders of U.S. interest-rate futures are no longer certain that the Federal Reserve will raise rates even once more next year.

Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert Kaplan said that he’ll be counseling patience as the central bank moves into 2019 against a backdrop of slowing growth and no sign that inflation is taking off.

Market statisticians are falling over each other in 2018 to describe the pain being felt across asset classes.

Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams expressed no concern that markets have dialed back expectations for policy tightening in 2019.

Forward guidance and quantitative easing became important tools for the Federal Reserve in the Great Recession, but received mixed reviews as to their effectiveness.

Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Richard Clarida said the U.S. central bank will defend both sides of its inflation target.