MNI FedSpeak Podcasts

The Federal Reserve is likely done raising interest rates as inflation continues a steady decline and policymakers worry about the lagged effects of past hikes, former Kansas City Fed President Esther George tells MNI.

The European Central Bank hopes to publish a new series of questions about firms’ expectations for consumer price inflation as part of its Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises next year, and to increase the frequency of SAFE to quarterly from twice a year, ECB senior lead economist Annalisa Ferrando told MNI. A quarterly SAFE will better coordinate it with the ECB’s Bank Lending Survey, Ferrando said in an MNI podcast together with fellow senior lead economist Petra Kohler-Ulbrich.

The Federal Reserve could be done raising interest rates but only if the economy slows and inflation keeps cooperating, former New York Fed economist Matthew Raskin tells MNI. There's a good chance this will not happen in coming months, forcing the Fed to raise rates further, potentially to 6% or higher.

Ahead of Canada's fall fiscal update, Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy President Page sees limited fiscal room even as Canada's finances outshine G7 peers. The government has shown little inclination to set genuine fiscal targets but appears on track for limited moves to tackle voter anger over a housing squeeze, the former parliamentary budget officer says.

The Fed has already raised interest rates too far but could even hike them further given misplaced concerns about inflation persistence, ex-Boston Fed research director Jeff Fuhrer tells MNI. We also discuss his new book, "The Myth That Made Us."]

The Federal Reserve's desire to pause rate hikes is driven by a belief that recent disinflation would proceed unabated, and could "turn on a dime" if progress appears to stall as it did in the August CPI report, former Fed board economist Steven Kamin tells MNI.

Tyler Meredith says housing squeeze "has become a real metaphor issue of middle-class success” and Justin Trudeau's Liberal government needs a large-scale solution to regain political support lost to the Conservatives. Public anger also radiates towards the Bank of Canada but the central bank isn't being singled out, he says.

Elliot Hughes at Summa Strategies discusses Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's efforts to convince voters upset over the surge in housing costs, saying his recent comments suggest a potential expansion of more direct federal involvement in homebuilding.

Robert Asselin, adviser to the Business Council of Canada and previously to the prime minister and finance minister, says the central bank likely needs high-for-long interest rates that will further crimp badly needed investment. He also says a recent cabinet shuffle put communication ahead of strong policy as Justin Trudeau girds for the next election.

The Federal Reserve is likely to keep tightening monetary policy despite an economy that is already effectively in a downturn, which is being masked by rising consumer borrowing and strong fiscal policy, former Dallas Fed advisor Danielle DiMartino Booth told MNI.