Haver Analytics
Haver Analytics
Global| Apr 30 2014

FOMC Sees Pickup in Economic Activity; Pares Back Bond Purchases Further

Summary

At today's meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee, the Fed indicated that economic growth had picked up and that price inflation still was below its long run objective. Fiscal policy was seen as limiting the economy's [...]


At today's meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee, the Fed indicated that economic growth had picked up and that price inflation still was below its long run objective. Fiscal policy was seen as limiting the economy's performance.

Economic growth was projected to continue at a "moderate pace" and that risks to the outlook were "evenly balanced." Ongoing improvement in the labor market was expected to be the result of this growth. The Fed suggested that inflation running below its 2.0% target would pose "risks to economic performance."

The Fed reduced the amount of its asset purchases of agency mortgage-backed and longer-term Treasury securities to $45 billion per month from $55 billion per month. The Federal funds rate was left unchanged in a range of 0.00% - 0.25% and the discount rate remained at 0.75%.

The press release for today's FOMC meeting can be found here.

Haver's SURVEYS database contains the economic projections from the Federal Reserve Board.

Current Last 2013 2012 2011 2010
Federal Funds Rate, % (Target) 0.00-0.25 0.00-0.25 0.11 0.14 0.10 0.17
Discount Rate, % 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.72
  • Prior to joining Haver Analytics in 2000, Mr. Moeller worked as the Economist at Chancellor Capital Management from 1985 to 1999. There, he developed comprehensive economic forecasts and interpreted economic data for equity and fixed income portfolio managers. Also at Chancellor, Mr. Moeller worked as an equity analyst and was responsible for researching and rating companies in the economically sensitive automobile and housing industries for investment in Chancellor’s equity portfolio.   Prior to joining Chancellor, Mr. Moeller was an Economist at Citibank from 1979 to 1984.   He also analyzed pricing behavior in the metals industry for the Council on Wage and Price Stability in Washington, D.C.   In 1999, Mr. Moeller received the award for most accurate forecast from the Forecasters' Club of New York. From 1990 to 1992 he was President of the New York Association for Business Economists.   Mr. Moeller earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University, where he graduated in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from George Washington University.

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