The inability to pass new stimulus measures in the face of rising COVID-19 cases likely had a dampening effect on US consumer confidence in August, even as interest rates have hit rock-bottom, gasoline prices are low and with the US stock markets to a large extent having eclipsed their pre-COVID highs. When the University of […]
Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Robert Kaplan says the Fed is “quite a ways” from considering raising interest rates, but advocated “restraint” in doing more to stimulate the economy. Although inflation has long run below the Fed’s 2% target, Kaplan said he is “cognisant” of the possibility that inflation could accelerate in coming years. He […]
The following is Thursday’s status check of developments in the US that can influence economic, health and political outcomes from Mace News: An authentic though preliminary breakthrough; a third Arab country normalising relations with Israel. With the UAE’s agreement, Israel suspends its claims of sovereignty over the West Bank claimed by Palestinians for a future […]
Signs of slowing evident in recent high-frequency data are likely to persist and states are not doing enough to control the virus, Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren said Wednesday. Rosengren, in remarks for delivery at an online event hosted by the South Shore Chamber of Commerce in Massachusetts, repeated the Fed’s message that the outlook […]
Combining campaign promises with executive orders of questionable legality, President Trump Saturday said he is deferring payroll tax collections through the end of the year for pay of $100,00 or less and if re-elected, will “terminate” the tax. In his second televised appearance at his Bedminster golf resort within 24 hours, Trump signed four executive orders […]
The following is Friday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes from Mace News: A long week about over and in an evening news conference the president of the United States says, “We’re having it out. We’re finally having it out.” He was talking about the Democrats, […]
The following is Thursday’s status check of developments in the US that can influence economic, health and political outcomes from Mace News: Now at the top of the agenda, the negotiations that went another three hours, breaking up at a late hour in House Speaker Pelosi’s office on that legislation restoring some kind of enhanced […]
As US Congress debates the fate of the extended jobless claims program, initial claims fell by 249,000 in the August 1 week to a level of 1.186 million, well below the 1.442 million level expected and the lowest weekly level since the start of COVID-19. The enhanced Federal unemployment payments of $600 per week ended […]
The following is Wednesday’s status check of developments in the US that can influence economic, health and political outcomes, compiled by Mace News: Another day in that indeterminate area between slowdown and rebound, between the alternate universes with President Trump in his evening briefing in his world, the one in which the virus is being […]
The following is Tuesday’s status check from Mace News of developments in the US that can influence economic, health and political outcomes: The general public, the markets, social service providers, food pantries and shelter providers were left reading between the lines Tuesday as they tried to decode the scant signals being sprinkled like bread crumbs […]
