Fed's Miran: Fed should remain independent, but 100% independence impossible
Federal Reserve (Fed) Board of Governors member Stephan Miran noted on Monday that, among other things, the Fed should maintain complete autonomy from political operations. Miran then walked back the outside edges of his own comment, stating that 100% Fed independence is "impossible".
Miran also noted that full expending tax policies will support the economy. Full expensing allowed companies to fully write down equipment and production machinery the same year they are purchased instead of following typical depreciation standards.
Key highlights
Full expensing tax law changes will benefit economy.
- Central bank independence leads to better policy.
- Monetary policy should be attuned to the business cycle.
- Fed does not exist in walled-off silo from the world.
- There is no 100% central bank independence.
- Fed should keep distance from topics that aren't monetary policy.
- Being a reserve currency is one of the best things in the world.
Fed FAQs
Monetary policy in the US is shaped by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed has two mandates: to achieve price stability and foster full employment. Its primary tool to achieve these goals is by adjusting interest rates. When prices are rising too quickly and inflation is above the Fed’s 2% target, it raises interest rates, increasing borrowing costs throughout the economy. This results in a stronger US Dollar (USD) as it makes the US a more attractive place for international investors to park their money. When inflation falls below 2% or the Unemployment Rate is too high, the Fed may lower interest rates to encourage borrowing, which weighs on the Greenback.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) holds eight policy meetings a year, where the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) assesses economic conditions and makes monetary policy decisions. The FOMC is attended by twelve Fed officials – the seven members of the Board of Governors, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and four of the remaining eleven regional Reserve Bank presidents, who serve one-year terms on a rotating basis.
In extreme situations, the Federal Reserve may resort to a policy named Quantitative Easing (QE). QE is the process by which the Fed substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system. It is a non-standard policy measure used during crises or when inflation is extremely low. It was the Fed’s weapon of choice during the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. It involves the Fed printing more Dollars and using them to buy high grade bonds from financial institutions. QE usually weakens the US Dollar.
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse process of QE, whereby the Federal Reserve stops buying bonds from financial institutions and does not reinvest the principal from the bonds it holds maturing, to purchase new bonds. It is usually positive for the value of the US Dollar.
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