US Economics Weekly The Warsh era begins on a firmly hawkish note Kevin Warsh’s highly anticipated first meeting as Federal Reserve Chair did not fail to live up to expectations. While the promise of significant institutional reform will matter a lot over the months... 18th June 2026 · 5 mins read
US Economics Weekly Higher inflation not just an energy problem May's weaker than expected core CPI outturn and the recent fall in oil prices will be some relief to the Fed, but the big picture remains that core PCE inflation is likely to remain above 3% for many... 12th June 2026 · 7 mins read
US Economics Weekly Fed set to hike this year With Fed officials sounding more hawkish than we originally anticipated and downside labour market risks rapidly diminishing, we now expect the Fed to hike interest rates this year. 5th June 2026 · 5 mins read
US Economics Weekly Price pressures not yet raising alarm bells The latest communications from Fed officials have become increasingly hawkish. But the softer-than-expected outturn for the April core PCE deflator and the mounting downside risks to real consumption... 29th May 2026 · 6 mins read
US Economics Weekly Fed alert to rising price pressures The hawkish tone of the Fed’s late-April minutes shows it would be ready to demonstrate its inflation-fighting credentials if it felt compelled to do so. We judge this would require a broadening in... 22nd May 2026 · 5 mins read
US Economics Weekly This time is transitory? Kevin Warsh now begins his four-year term as Fed Chair, but the April price data suggest he will have a tough time persuading his FOMC colleagues that they should cut interest rates again in this... 15th May 2026 · 5 mins read
US Economics Weekly CIT ruling only a minor setback for the administration The federal court ruling this week that the administration unlawfully imposed the 10% global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1974 is only a minor setback for Trump’s tariff... 8th May 2026 · 7 mins read
US Economics Weekly Unpacking a landmark week at the Fed A landmark week in the history of the Federal Reserve concludes with interest rate expectations little changed. 1st May 2026 · 7 mins read
US Economics Weekly Refunds, refunds everywhere but not a major stimulus Individuals have benefited from higher tax refunds this year and companies will soon benefit from IEEPA tariff refunds, but we doubt that these will make a big difference to GDP growth. 24th April 2026 · 9 mins read
US Economics Weekly Manufacturing yet to find its stride The manufacturing sector continues to struggle, with production down in March and little changed over the past year. However, tentative signs that foreign producers are investing to expand their US... 17th April 2026 · 5 mins read
US Economics Weekly Households lack cushion against gasoline price shock The sharp fall in the saving rate to 4.0% in February predates the Iran war and may signal what lies ahead as households absorb much higher fuel bills. This limited cushion suggests households will... 10th April 2026 · 5 mins read
US Economics Weekly Iran war hits home at gasoline price surpasses $4 The consequences of the Iran war became even more conspicuous for consumers this week, with the national average gasoline price rising above $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022. Thankfully, the... 2nd April 2026 · 8 mins read
US Economics Weekly Manufacturing dragging down non-residential construction We do not expect the war in Iran to dent the data centre buildout but, with manufacturing construction investment falling sharply, we may still be overestimating the outlook for non-residential... 27th March 2026 · 8 mins read
US Economics Weekly Goods inflation a thorn in the Fed’s side The sharp repricing in futures markets toward discounting the chance of a Fed hike this year looks somewhat overdone, especially given the Fed’s commentary following this week’s rate decision. While... 20th March 2026 · 4 mins read
US Economics Weekly Fed unlikely to overreact to inflation resurgence We don't expect the Fed to overreact to the resurgence in its preferred PCE inflation measure given it partly reflects the outsized weighting of particular items and there is still plenty of... 13th March 2026 · 5 mins read
US Economics Weekly Energy price shock and disappointing jobs report The surge in oil prices will be a negative for the economy, with domestic oil producers unlikely to raise production until it is clear that Middle East disruptions, and the resulting elevated prices... 6th March 2026 · 9 mins read
