Bernanke Plays it Perfectly

From last week’s opening segment:

“Another way to look at it is that the market’s fate appears to rest with the jawbone of the man about to speak at Jackson Hole on Friday.”

From last week’s closing ‘Wrap Up’ segment:

“I think the theme now is that if you are a trader and if you have profits it is a logical time to take some or all of them.”

We know that the decelerating economic backdrop (with inflation measures in check) is supportive of a Fed going unconventionally dovish in unleashing QE style policy if it so chooses.  We also know that the political backdrop is not supportive, with Republicans sounding off about a gold standard and a soon to be former Fed chief. Continue reading "Bernanke Plays it Perfectly"

Bernanke: With unemployment high, Fed can do more

(AP:JACKSON HOLE, Wyo.) Chairman Ben Bernanke says high U.S. unemployment is a "grave concern" and that the Federal Reserve will provide more help if the economy doesn't improve.

Bernanke stopped short of committing the Fed to any specific move, such as another round of bond purchases to lower long-term interest rates. But in a speech in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Bernanke suggested the Fed will consider further steps to boost the economy, which he describes as "far from satisfactory."

He noted that further action carries risks but says the Fed can manage them. The Fed "should not rule out" new policies to improve the job market, Bernanke says. Continue reading "Bernanke: With unemployment high, Fed can do more"

Will Bernanke Save the Equity Markets?

By Vedran Vuk, Casey Research

How far is the Fed from reaching the bottom of its ammunition box?

Well, both Mario Draghi and Ben Bernanke said no to yet more monetary stimulus last week.

Wall Street unsurprisingly was disappointed.

Wall Street expected more stimulus, as institutional investors are analyzing monetary policy from their own perspective rather than the central bank's viewpoint – understandable, but a big mistake. Continue reading "Will Bernanke Save the Equity Markets?"

Poll: What do you think Bernanke is going to do on Wednesday?

The Federal Reserve is meeting this week at a time of high alert over the slumping U.S. economy, the aftermath of the Greek elections and the shaky financial markets.

Whether that means it will announce any new action when its two-day meeting ends Wednesday isn't certain. But many analysts think the struggles of the U.S. economy and the threats from Europe will compel the Fed to say or unveil something to try to boost confidence. Continue reading "Poll: What do you think Bernanke is going to do on Wednesday?"