Loretta Mester

The U.S. dollar is currently on an eight-week winning streak, flexing its muscles to reach levels not seen since February 2023. While this surge may suggest imminent rate hikes, the latest Federal Reserve signals and economic data actually tell a different tale. The Dollar Index Takes Off The U.S...

FOMC member and Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester echoed comments from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell that there is a long ways to go to improve inflation. Here’s a look at what Mester had to say about the current state of the economy and what’s ahead. What Happened: Mester, the...

The stock market is celebrating Wednesday after annual consumer inflation fell to 3% in June, a full percentage point lower than May’s 4% reading and below estimates of 3.1%. The annual rate of inflation has now dropped for 12 months in a row, reaching its lowest point since March 2021. The...

The stock market experienced a negative start to the week, with investors remaining fairly cautious ahead of Wednesday’s inflation report. Large tech stocks traded in the red, likely hit by weaker-than-expected inflation data in China overnight, with Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) falling 2.3...

Friday was a bad day for U.S. stocks, with the S&P 500 on track to end the week in the red, making it the worst week since the banking crisis in mid-March and putting an end to a five-week winning run. The U.S. dollar, Treasuries and gold all gained some ground, indicating a boost in safe haven...

Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester reportedly said there was no "compelling" reason to wait before implementing another interest rate hike if economic data confirm more needs to be done to rein in inflation. In an interview with Financial Times, Mester countered recent suggestions...

Hedge funds appear to be holding the view that the U.S. economy will not tip into recession in coming times as is reflected by their record bets against the 10-year benchmark U.S. Treasury notes. What Happened: Leveraged investors increased their net shorts on 10-year Treasury futures to a record 1...

Allianz chief economic adviser and noted economist Mohamed El-Erian believes the Federal Reserve is excessively data dependent and said the central bank needs to have a longer term vision and be anchored by some strategic view of the economy. What Happened: "Of course, it’s a gamble. But...

Two Federal Reserve officials, on Thursday, reiterated the need for more interest rate hikes to rein in inflation just as the central bank is set to enter a silent period from April 22 to May 4 ahead of its next monetary policy announcement. What Happened: Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia...

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Loretta Mester sees possibility of more interest rate hikes in the wake of signs indicating the recent banking crisis have abated. What Happened: Mester said she expects monetary policy moving “somewhat further into restrictive territory this year,...

Index futures indicate U.S. markets are on track for a weak opening in continuation of Thursday's decline after hawkish comments from Federal Reserve officials and a higher than expected producers' price index hurt investor sentiments. Investors and traders will be keenly watching out for Federal...

Two Federal Reserve officials reportedly said on Thursday the central bank should have lifted interest rates more than it did in early February, and cautioned that additional hikes in borrowing costs are essential to bring down inflation to desired levels. What Happened: Cleveland Fed President...

Despite signs of inflation having peaked and economic activity witnessing a slowdown, Federal Reserve officials have reportedly stated they will continue with more rate hikes, with many in favor of taking the top policy rate to 5%. "I just think we need to keep going, and we'll...

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE: SPY) has rallied 3.2% in the past five days as investors seem to be taking an increasingly bullish tone toward the health of the U.S. economy, particularly on the inflation front. However, hawkish remarks from Federal Reserve officials this week suggest...

As investors anxiously await the next FOMC meeting on June 14, they will be expecting another interest rate hike in an attempt to slow down inflation. Fed board members such as Loretta Mester and Lael Brainard are expecting another 50 bps increase in the both the June and July meetings, unless...