Chris Rugaber
@chrisrugaber.bsky.social
1.3K followers 1.1K following 190 posts
Federal Reserve, economy reporter. I root for the economy to do well. Tell me your stories: contact me on Signal at ChrisRugaber.01 and at [email protected].
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Reposted by Chris Rugaber
jc-econ.bsky.social
The fiscal outlook discussion at the @nabe-econ.bsky.social annual meeting is not exactly uplifting. Sorry y’all but AI driven productivity cannot plausibly fix the problem, hope for bipartisan approaches seem remote at best, immigration policy hurts, and we keep going until the market cries uncle…
chrisrugaber.bsky.social
Spoke to new Nobel Economics laureate Joel Mokyr early this morning.

His students had asked him about the possibility he would win the Nobel, he said. "I told them that I was more likely to be elected pope than to win the Nobel prize in economics, and I am Jewish by the way."
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Reposted by Chris Rugaber
seanbrodrick.bsky.social
The rich keep spending, so everything is fine, right?

Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index continues to hold firm and is up by 5.8% year/year in most recent week
#EconSky
chrisrugaber.bsky.social
The Federal Reserve's minutes today paint a picture of a rate-setting committee that is all over the map. Our story makes some sense of it:

apnews.com/article/infl...
chrisrugaber.bsky.social
Friday's ISM services report shows that tariffs are still flowing through the economy and raising prices. Am hearing this anecdotally from companies ... it takes time. (Not saying inflation is going to soar, but still):
chrisrugaber.bsky.social
The data has been delayed before during previous shutdowns. We will see it eventually. Meanwhile ADP data does suggest it may not look good.
Reposted by Chris Rugaber
jasonfurman.bsky.social
If you ask small businesses about job creation plans, job openings, inventory plans, earnings or capital expenditure plans they're much more dour than they were a few years ago.

But they express much more optimistic about the future than before. www.nfib.com/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Chris Rugaber
mattpeterson.bsky.social
Kevin Warsh, a leading candidate to replace Jay Powell, is speaking at a finance event. This is a “precarious moment” for the Fed, he says. “It is not because outsiders are looking to change the status quo.” He blames intrusion into fiscal policy and decisions on “climate change, inclusion policy.”
Reposted by Chris Rugaber
nytimes.com
The Department of Defense has quietly delayed its cleanup of harmful “forever chemicals” at nearly 140 military installations across the U.S., according to a list of sites analyzed by The New York Times.
Defense Department Delays Cleanup of ‘Forever Chemicals’ Nationwide
The new timeline could slow cleanup in some communities by nearly a decade. The chemicals, widely used in the military, are linked to cancers and other health risks.
nyti.ms
chrisrugaber.bsky.social
Um, you mean Advanced Placement (AP), right? I’m a reporter at the Associated Press 😆
chrisrugaber.bsky.social
New Fed governor Stephen Miran said today the Fed could reconsider its 2% inflation target in future:

"If you look before 2012, the Fed didn’t have a formal target at all," he said. "They pursued low and stable prices. To me, that’s an interesting way of doing things also." 1/2
chrisrugaber.bsky.social
Good point about economic data and economy by St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem:

One reason "the U.S. is the largest, most dynamic economy in the world with the deepest capital markets, is because it is and has been the best measured economy in the world."
chrisrugaber.bsky.social
AP poll finds sharp drop in Republicans saying country is heading in right direction:
Reposted by Chris Rugaber
jc-econ.bsky.social
@chrisrugaber.bsky.social asked a good Q in yesterday's Fed press conference--could tariffs be reducing labor demand as companies unable to pass them along thru higher prices to cautious consumers protect margins instead by reducing hiring & labor costs. That seems to be just what CEOs are reporting
chrisrugaber.bsky.social
ICYMI: Trump’s efforts to exert more control over the Federal Reserve could over time boost inflation and interest rates. Our story:

apnews.com/article/fede...
chrisrugaber.bsky.social
Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook has hired prominent DC attorney Abbe Lowell and says she won't step down:

Cook: “President Trump purported to fire me 'for cause' when no cause exists under the law, and he has no authority to do so. I will not resign."
chrisrugaber.bsky.social
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Trump said he’s firing Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook, an unprecedented move that would constitute a sharp escalation in his battle to exert greater control over what has long been considered an institution independent from day-to-day politics.

apnews.com/article/fede...
Trump says he's firing Fed Governor Lisa Cook, opening new front in fight for central bank control
President Donald Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, a sharp escalation in his battle to exert greater control over what has long been considered an institution independent from...
apnews.com