I posted earlier on the data coming up from the US on Wednesday, retail sales the focus:

Coming up a little later are threee speakers from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) and the Beige Book:

  • Bowman at 9am US Eastern time, participates in discussion, "The Path Forward for Bank Capital Reform,
  • Barr speaks at 9am also, on "Cyber Risk"

The biggie will be Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams at 3pm US Eastern time:

  • opening remarks before hybrid event, "An Economy that Works for All: Measurement Matters"
Federal Reserve beige williams 17 January 2024

As you'll see above, European Central Bank speakers also!

At 2pm US Eastern time is the 'Beige Book'.

  • released eight times a year
  • provides anecdotal information and economic analysis of current economic conditions in each of the twelve Federal Reserve Districts

The Beige Book is typically published about two weeks before each meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).

  1. Purpose: The primary purpose of the Beige Book is to offer policymakers at the Federal Reserve insight into the current state of the economy. It provides information that is not necessarily reflected in the more traditional economic indicators, such as GDP growth, unemployment rates, or inflation data.

  2. Data Sources: The information contained in the Beige Book is gathered from a wide range of sources, including interviews with business leaders, economists, market experts, and other knowledgeable individuals in each of the twelve Federal Reserve Districts. This qualitative information helps to complement the quantitative economic data collected by the Federal Reserve.

  3. Structure: The Beige Book is organized into sections, each covering one of the twelve Federal Reserve Districts. Each section contains a summary of economic conditions in that district, including information on sectors such as manufacturing, real estate, agriculture, and services.

  4. Content: The report typically includes information on employment and labor market conditions, wage trends, consumer spending, business investment, and inflation pressures. It also highlights any notable trends or developments in each district.

  5. Use by the Federal Reserve: The information in the Beige Book helps Federal Reserve policymakers make informed decisions about monetary policy, including whether to raise or lower interest rates, in order to achieve the Federal Reserve's dual mandate of promoting price stability and maximum sustainable employment.

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On Tuesday we had the persistently hawkish Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher Waller flip the switch to dovish, the 'but' being he hosed down market expectations of 6 (or even 7!) rate cuts this year with a much more sensible 3, which is the central forecast of the FOMC currently: