Thursday, November 20, 2008

Class 2: Lets call it, summer crunch 2007
  • an investigation of the impact of the credit crunch on Fed monetary policy and the media's reaction

Primary sources

FOMC Statements from
  • June 28 2007

    For immediate release

    The Federal Open Market Committee decided today to keep its target for the federal funds rate at 5-1/4 percent.

    Economic growth appears to have been moderate during the first half of this year, despite the ongoing adjustment in the housing sector. The economy seems likely to continue to expand at a moderate pace over coming quarters.

    Readings on core inflation have improved modestly in recent months. However, a sustained moderation in inflation pressures has yet to be convincingly demonstrated. Moreover, the high level of resource utilization has the potential to sustain those pressures.

    In these circumstances, the Committee's predominant policy concern remains the risk that inflation will fail to moderate as expected. Future policy adjustments will depend on the evolution of the outlook for both inflation and economic growth, as implied by incoming information.

    Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman; Timothy F. Geithner, Vice Chairman; Thomas M. Hoenig; Donald L. Kohn; Randall S. Kroszner; Cathy E. Minehan; Frederic S. Mishkin; Michael H. Moskow; William Poole; and Kevin M. Warsh.

  • August 7 2007

    For immediate release

    The Federal Open Market Committee decided today to keep its target for the federal funds rate at 5-1/4 percent.

    Economic growth was moderate during the first half of the year. Financial markets have been volatile in recent weeks, credit conditions have become tighter for some households and businesses, and the housing correction is ongoing. Nevertheless, the economy seems likely to continue to expand at a moderate pace over coming quarters, supported by solid growth in employment and incomes and a robust global economy.

    Readings on core inflation have improved modestly in recent months. However, a sustained moderation in inflation pressures has yet to be convincingly demonstrated. Moreover, the high level of resource utilization has the potential to sustain those pressures.

    Although the downside risks to growth have increased somewhat, the Committee's predominant policy concern remains the risk that inflation will fail to moderate as expected. Future policy adjustments will depend on the outlook for both inflation and economic growth, as implied by incoming information.

    Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman; Timothy F. Geithner, Vice Chairman; Thomas M. Hoenig; Donald L. Kohn; Randall S. Kroszner; Frederic S. Mishkin; Michael H. Moskow; William Poole; Eric Rosengren; and Kevin M. Warsh.

August 17 2007 A FOMC Statment

August 17 2007 B
Discount rate action


Secondary Sources

What's A Fed Chairman to do? New York Times, August 5th 2007. (2 days before Fed meeting)

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/weekinreview/05berenson.xml

Jim Cramer's "freak out" on Stop Trading , August 5th 2007 (2 days before Fed meeting)
(This has become a viral video. What is really going on? Can monetary policy really be this exciting? Or is this the a page book from professional wrestling? Is the Fed being cast as a villain, or just tight monetary policy.)





Jim Cramer's explanation on TheSteeet.com August 7

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