Central Bank Watch
January 26-27th FOMC Minutes
February 17, 2021
At the U.S. Federal Open Market Committee’s first monetary policy review of 2021, officials voted unanimously to continue to target the federal funds rate at 0-0.25% and to purchase a total of $120 billion of bonds per month ($80 billion of Treasuries and $40 billion of agency MBS). Minutes from that meeting released today found […] More
Central Bank Watch
Zambian Central Bank Rate Hike Amid Rising Inflation
February 17, 2021
The Bank of Zambia raised its reference interest rate by 50 basis points to 8.5%, marking the first increase since November 2019. The rate during 2020 had be cut 225 basis points in May and another 125 bps in August, but Zambian inflation has been above the 6-8% target and increasingly so of late. A […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Dollar Rebound Extended 0.3%
February 17, 2021
The dollar is 0.3% stronger on an effective trade-weighted basis. It is up 0.4% against the euro and near the day’s high and touched a 5-month high of 106.22 Japanese yen overnight. The reviving dollar reflects climbing long-term U.S. interest rates as investors are betting on the Congress approving a pandemic relief package of around […] More
