Chairman Powell Repeats Need For Fiscal and Monetary Stimulus

By Tom Burnett CFA In a well covered speech on October 6, 2020, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell repeated his call for greater fiscal support to help maintain the economic recovery. He noted that half the jobs lost due the Covid-19 pandemic and the measures to control the outbreak have been restored…

By Tom Burnett CFA On October 2, 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported its employment data for September. Total jobs, public and private, rose by 661,000 to 147.6 million, the largest figure since the Covid-19 outbreak crushed the economy in March. Total employment one year ago was 158.3 million…

By Tom Burnett CFA In the most recent FACTSET report dated September 18, 2020, the consensus estimates for earnings for the S/P 500 Index companies have been revised to $166.35 for the 2021 year. In the July 24 report, the estimate was $163.17. Similarly, the consensus estimate for the 2020 year has…

By Tom Burnett CFA On September 4, 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 1.37 million new jobs in August. In addition, the report indicated that the unemployment rate declined to 8.4% from 10.2% in July and 11.1% in June. The rate in February was just 3.5% before the impact…

By Tom Burnett CFA On August 27, 2020, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell delivered an online speech which describes a new approach to inflation, interest rates and employment. In his speech, Powell indicated that the Fed would no longer raise rates and slow the economy if inflation approached the…