Federal Reserve

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Economic Indicators

Fed to leave rates “near zero” until 2013

There was no mention of a third round of quantitative easing, but the Federal Open Market Committee has announced it will leave interest rates near zero until at least mid-2013. The Federal Reserve has held rates at just 25 basis points since December 2008. Until today, the Fed had said it would keep it low […]

By Staff |August 9, 2011

2 min read

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Market Insights

End of QE2 won’t impact Canada

The expiration of the U.S. Fed’s second round of quantitative easing—dubbed QE2—will have little or no implication for the Canadian market according to experts north of the border. The post-QE2 outlook started garnering considerable interest as the Federal Reserve announced it will turn off its $600 billion tap in June as planned in light of […]

By Vikram Barhat |April 29, 2011

2 min read

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Economic Indicators

Fed signals end to QE2

The Federal Reserve is signalling that its $600 billion Treasury bond-buying program will end in June as planned because the economy has strengthened and companies are starting to hire more. Ending a two-day meeting Wednesday, the Fed made no changes to the program. The decision was unanimous. The bond purchases were intended to lower loan […]

By Wire services |April 27, 2011

2 min read

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Economic Indicators

QE2 likely won’t help U.S. economy

While the stock markets have (eventually) responded enthusiastically to the Federal Reserve’s second round of quantitative easing, economists question whether the program will have the desired effect of re-inflating the U.S. economy. At best, the Fed appears to have simply ensured interest rates will remain at rock-bottom levels at least until June. That would be […]

By Steven Lamb |November 4, 2010

2 min read