Federal Reserve

• Il Board della Federal Reserve ha pubblicato l'8 maggio il suo Rapporto sulla Stabilità Finanziaria per maggio 2026, valutando i rischi in un contesto di solida crescita economica e massimi di mercato. • Il rapporto evidenzia stress derivanti dall'aumento dei prezzi del petrolio, dalle tensioni geopolitiche e da una leadership azionaria ristretta e concentrata nei settori tecnologici guidati dall'AI. • La Fed ha segnalato che non ci saranno tagli imminenti dei tassi dopo averli mantenuti stabili a fine aprile, citando progressi insufficienti sull'inflazione, con il PCE core in calo ma l'inflazione headline sopra il 3,5%.

Warsh succederebbe all'uscente presidente della Fed Jerome Powell, mentre Trump continua la sua spinta per influenzare la banca centrale statunitense.

• L'FOMC ha annunciato in data 10 maggio 2026 che manterrà invariato il tasso dei federal funds al 5,25-5,50%, in linea con le aspettative del mercato mentre prosegue il monitoraggio dell'inflazione. • Il presidente della Fed, Jerome Powell, terrà una conferenza stampa alle 14:30 ET per discutere della decisione e delle prospettive economiche. • Questo rappresenta l'ultimo di una serie di mantenimenti dei tassi, riflettendo un approccio cauto per bilanciare la crescita e la stabilità dei prezzi nell'economia degli Stati Uniti.

• The U.S. Federal Reserve maintained its federal funds rate in the 3.50%-3.75% range at its April 2026 policy meeting. • Decision balances heightened inflation uncertainty, a softening labor market, and geopolitical risks from the Middle East. • Markets remain volatile under President Trump due to tariffs, tax policies, oil price swings, and conflicts, yet stocks have held steady overall.

• The Federal Reserve maintained interest rates at 3.50%-3.75% last week, citing continued economic expansion but persistent inflation linked to energy prices. • Inflation remains elevated with PCE price index up slightly in March to 3.5% year-over-year. • Decision supports market optimism, contributing to S&P 500 nearing its January record high despite Middle East risks.

• The Federal Reserve Board approved an application by OceanFirst Financial Corp on April 24, 2026. • This regulatory greenlight supports the bank's strategic initiatives in the financial sector. • The decision reflects ongoing oversight of mergers and expansions in US banking amid economic shifts.

• The Federal Reserve voted to leave the benchmark federal funds rate unchanged at 3.5% to 3.75% on Wednesday, citing concerns about inflation rising amid the war in Iran. • This marks the continuation of the Fed's pause in rate adjustments following three successive 25-basis-point cuts in September, October, and December 2025. • Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is scheduled to hold a press conference at 2:30 p.m. ET to discuss the decision, marking what could be his final interest-rate announcement as Federal Reserve chair.

• The Federal Reserve released minutes from its April 16 policy meeting, revealing internal division over the appropriate timeline for interest rate cuts, with several governors questioning whether inflation has declined sufficiently to warrant near-term reductions. • Hawks on the committee expressed concern that premature rate cuts could reignite price pressures, while doves argued that pausing at 5.5% risks unnecessarily constraining growth and employment, setting the stage for a contentious May 2 vote. • Market reactions to the minutes were mixed, with bond futures pricing in only a 28% probability of a rate cut by July 2026, down from 35% before the release, while equity index futures declined 0.6% on expectation of extended higher rates.