Washington

Two Federal Reserve officials who vote on interest rates this year downplayed the effects on the economy of the rough October for U.S. stocks.

The municipal securities market is slowly looking more like the stock market.

The pre-trade information available on alternative trading systems to broker-dealer participants would likely benefit all municipal securities investors if made more publicly available, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s chief economist said in releasing a report Thursday that is to be presented to a market structure advisory group next week.

Monetary policy remains accommodative and gradual rate increases are likely to be needed, Federal Reserve Vice Chair Richard Clarida said Thursday.

Sergio Marxuach and other officials of the nonpartisan, San Juan-based Center for a New Economy said federal spending on disaster recovery has been slower than in other areas also struck by hurricanes in 2017.

Rising materials and shipping costs due in part to tariffs and difficulty finding qualified workers are among the top concerns for businesses.

The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee stood by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

The newly-minted water infrastructure law is good news for state and local governments looking for more avenues to finance water projects.

While the neutral rate has its limitations, its concept is useful, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert Kaplan wrote in an essay released Wednesday.

President Donald Trump stepped up his attacks on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, saying he “maybe” regrets appointing him.