Interest rates

The Federal Open Market Committee is expected to announce guidance on the end of its quantitative tightening program later Wednesday. As that process draws to a close, experts are questioning when and how the central bank should use its balance sheet to smooth economic stress in the future.

Federal Reserve Gov. Stephen Miran said Thursday that the central bank's forays into examining climate change and racial justice under the prior administration politicized the Fed. He also argued that Fed officials should limit their comments on economic policies such as tariffs.

Federal Reserve Governor Stephan Miran said the economic standoff with China could increase market volatility, further necessitating the central bank to move its policy stance to neutral.

Federal Reserve Gov. Michael Barr said in a speech Thursday that he fears the gradual pace of price increases from tariffs being passed on to consumers may prolong the one-time inflationary effect of the tariffs to the point where it affects consumers' inflation expectations.

Federal Reserve Gov. Stephen Miran sidestepped whether policy setting pressure from the administration is a welcomed development, but reiterated that he wants to avoid succumbing to "groupthink."

Many banks lowered the interest rates they pay on certificates of deposits and high-yield savings accounts in September, capitalizing on the Fed's 25-basis-point cut.

Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Jeff Schmid said that the central bank should continue its focus on curbing inflation, as the job market is "largely in balance."

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said in a speech Tuesday that the central bank's policy stance is "modestly restrictive," a stance that will give the central bank flexibility to react to an uncertain economic future.

Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said in a speech Tuesday that steeper interest rate cuts should be on the table if the labor market continues to show signs of decline.

Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran said he hasn't spoken to President Donald Trump since the central bank's policy meeting this week, and didn't promise the president he would vote a particular way on interest rates.

The Federal Open Market Committee's decision to reduce interest rates for the first time in nine months lifted bank stocks Wednesday. The 25-basis-point reduction could lead to net interest income headwinds now, but loan growth later, analysts said.

Horizon Bancorp said it will raise about $200 million in capital to fund a major balance-sheet restructuring. The move would dilute existing shareholders, and the company's stock price dipped on Thursday.

Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, rose to 3.1%, up from 2.9% in June.

Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said she foresees three interest rate cuts for this year, a view bolstered by the latest employment data.

First Foundation is in transformation mode, after a capital infusion and new management gave it some power to remix its challenged balance sheet. But the bank just took its third quarterly loss out of the last four quarters.

The Federal Reserve's monetary policy committee is expected to leave interest rates unchanged again Wednesday amid reports of renewed economic growth in the second quarter and despite ramped up pressure from the White House to cut rates.

President Trump and Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, R-S.C., visited the Federal Reserve Board headquarters Thursday afternoon to inspect ongoing renovations whose cost overruns have heightened scrutiny of Fed chair Jerome Powell.

Monetary policymakers have held off on lower interest rates for months, citing the risk of tariff-induced inflation. Several now say this week's CPI and PPI reports confirmed their suspicions.

Lorie Logan, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, said in a speech Wednesday that she is content to leave interest rates where they are, adding that she would want to see inflation fall to 2% before considering cuts.

President Trump and his lieutenants have been bullying Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for months over the Fed's reluctance to lower interest rates. But even if that campaign is successful, the president may not really get what he wants.