« Top Two-day Stock Reversals | Main | AOL's Dial-Up Time Warp »

Latest Stories

• First, Let's Ban All the FOMC Statements
• Top Two-day Stock Reversals
• Me Media: Guest Hosting "The Call" Tomorrow
• Word du Jour Required
• Defrag 2008 Conference

August 5, 2008

First, Let's Ban All the FOMC Statements

These FOMC statements should be banned. They are a tired exercise in reader-hostile word-smithing, a conscious attempt to hide meaning and abuse language.

Check the following for the MS Word track changes on today's statement. Then try to explain how the words are anything but arbitrary.

The Federal Open Market Committee decided today to keep its target for the federal funds rate at 2 percent.

EconomicRecent information indicates that overall economic activity expanded in the second quarter,continues to expand, partly reflecting growthsome firming in consumerhousehold spending and exports.. However, labor markets have softened further and financial markets remain under considerable stress. Tight credit conditions, the ongoing housing contraction, and elevatedthe rise in energy prices are likely to weigh on economic growth over the next few quarters. Over time, the substantial easing of monetary policy, combined with ongoing measures to foster market liquidity, should help to promote moderate economic growth.

Inflation has been high, spurred by The Committee expects inflation to moderate later this year and next year. However, in light of the earliercontinued increases in the prices of energy and some other commodities, and the elevated state of some indicators of inflation expectations have been elevated. The Committee expects inflation to moderate later this year and next year, but, uncertainty about the inflation outlook remains highly uncertain.high.

The substantial easing of monetary policy to date, combined with ongoing measures to foster market liquidity, should help to promote moderate growth over time. Although downside risks to growth remain, they appear to have diminished somewhat, and the upside risks to inflation are also of significant concern to the Committee.and inflation expectations have increased. The Committee will continue to monitor economic and financial developments and will act as needed to promote sustainable economic growth and price stability.

Sphere It   |   Digg it   |   Bookmark it   |   Stumble it