Debt Levels and the Root Cause of Balance Sheet Pressure

Liz Ann Sonders and Kathy Jones discuss this week’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting and the latest interest rate cut. They also analyze some of the details of what is driving the Fed’s decisions in light of the government shutdown.

Next, Kathy Jones is joined by David Beckworth. Kathy and David discuss the complexities of the Federal Reserve's balance sheet, the broader implications of monetary policy, and the emerging landscape of stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). They discuss the challenges the Fed faces in managing its balance sheet, the potential impact of stablecoins on the financial system, and what these developments mean for investors. David outlines three potential steps the Fed could take to downsize the balance sheet: asset swaps, managing the Treasury General Account (TGA), and improving ceiling facilities. 

You can keep up with David Beckworth by following his podcast, Macro Musings, and his Substack, “Macroeconomic Policy Nexus.”

On Investing is an original podcast from Charles Schwab. For more on the show, visit schwab.com/OnInvesting. 

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