Is the US Central Bank doing a good job of managing the economy? I don’t have a problem with it! Others disagree. Or, disagree with the disagreement. Don’t blame Fed for weak dollar Commentary: Interest-rate cuts did not cause dollar’s decline By Lou Barnes, Inman News Long-term interest rates stayed about the same (mortgages 6 [...]

Still teetering, I guess. (But, whether or not the United States is in a “recession” is irrelevant, isn’t it, if you’re out of a job or can’t sell your home, right?) The takeaway from below is, if you wonder where the US economy is going, it’s an unknown. Certainly, not “up, up, up”. Any forecast [...]

U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), after a private meeting with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, said the central bank chief anticipates signs of a rebound in the housing market by the end of 2008. Concerns remain that the market downturn will cause an economic recession, which prompted the Fed to cut interest rates recently. Meanwhile, [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) is out with its 2008 forecast. I like their chief economist, Doug Duncan. His guess is as good as anyone’s. Highlights from the MBA’s report: Duncan expects another reduction in the Fed Funds rate, at the end of this month; he expects the economy to turn positive toward the third [...]

It looks as though Ben Bernanke of the Federal Reserve has decided to drop interest rates (again) at the end of the month. Fed vows ‘substantive’ action to avoid recession – By Barrie McKenna, The Globe & Mail The Fed is “prepared to act in a decisive and timely manner … to counter any adverse [...]

Analyst Lou Barnes sees one of two things happening: long-term interest rates will drop to the low 5′s … or, they won’t. He predicts a drop to around 5.25% for fixed-rate mortgage loans. Unless, and it’s a big unless, one of two things happen. Oh, to be a fly on the oval wall – By [...]

I didn’t learn anything new from this, but perhaps it’ll be interesting to some. Alan Greenspan wrote a column on the subprime loan crisis and state of the US economy for the Wall Street Journal. Excerpts, below: Former Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan wrote a lengthy explanation of his view of the current mortgage crisis [...]

Lou Barnes is about ready to jump out an office building’s window, I think. He’s totally freaking out over the credit / lending crisis, fearing we are in for tough economic times, unless someone does something. Fast. Like, Depression. And he doesn’t have much faith in those with power to deal with the problem: The [...]

Alan Greenspan, previously Chairman of the Federal Reserve and now best-selling writer, is out shilling his book to anyone who will listen. This week, he’s in Japan talking to Japanese businessmen. What’s he think about the state of the world economy? Former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan told Tokyo businessmen that the most important [...]

So, the US economy grew 3.9%, in the quarter ending September 30. So, why would the Federal Reserve lower interest rates? Whyyy?????????? Let it ride, for at least another month. Please. Someone, have some sense.