Fed’s Barkin says CPI ran too hot, keeps October decision open
The Richmond Fed President, Thomas Barkin, a voter in 2027, said that he doesn’t see AI job losses happening at scale, adding that investment is mostly focused on AI.
Barkin said, “I do not want to project the outcome of the October FOMC meeting,” adding that CPI data “was higher than I would have hoped.” He added that the release of PPI will help him to inform his inflation outlook.
Key highlights:
Not seeing AI job losses happening at scale
No question investment side of economy largely from AI.
Cannot count on AI investment to grow till end of time.
I do not want to project the outcome of the October FOMC meeting.
The CPI report was higher than I would have hoped.
Tomorrow's producer price data is going to help inform my inflation outlook.
US Dollar Price Today
The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the British Pound.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.39% | 0.55% | -0.09% | 0.23% | 0.26% | 0.45% | 0.23% | |
| EUR | -0.39% | 0.16% | -0.48% | -0.16% | -0.16% | 0.02% | -0.18% | |
| GBP | -0.55% | -0.16% | -0.63% | -0.34% | -0.31% | -0.11% | -0.33% | |
| JPY | 0.09% | 0.48% | 0.63% | 0.35% | 0.36% | 0.59% | 0.34% | |
| CAD | -0.23% | 0.16% | 0.34% | -0.35% | 0.02% | 0.22% | -0.01% | |
| AUD | -0.26% | 0.16% | 0.31% | -0.36% | -0.02% | 0.19% | -0.03% | |
| NZD | -0.45% | -0.02% | 0.11% | -0.59% | -0.22% | -0.19% | -0.24% | |
| CHF | -0.23% | 0.18% | 0.33% | -0.34% | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.24% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).
Fed FAQs
Monetary policy in the US is shaped by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed has two mandates: to achieve price stability and foster full employment. Its primary tool to achieve these goals is by adjusting interest rates. When prices are rising too quickly and inflation is above the Fed’s 2% target, it raises interest rates, increasing borrowing costs throughout the economy. This results in a stronger US Dollar (USD) as it makes the US a more attractive place for international investors to park their money. When inflation falls below 2% or the Unemployment Rate is too high, the Fed may lower interest rates to encourage borrowing, which weighs on the Greenback.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) holds eight policy meetings a year, where the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) assesses economic conditions and makes monetary policy decisions. The FOMC is attended by twelve Fed officials – the seven members of the Board of Governors, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and four of the remaining eleven regional Reserve Bank presidents, who serve one-year terms on a rotating basis.
In extreme situations, the Federal Reserve may resort to a policy named Quantitative Easing (QE). QE is the process by which the Fed substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system. It is a non-standard policy measure used during crises or when inflation is extremely low. It was the Fed’s weapon of choice during the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. It involves the Fed printing more Dollars and using them to buy high grade bonds from financial institutions. QE usually weakens the US Dollar.
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse process of QE, whereby the Federal Reserve stops buying bonds from financial institutions and does not reinvest the principal from the bonds it holds maturing, to purchase new bonds. It is usually positive for the value of the US Dollar.