by John Carney
Breitbart.com
The Economy Throws the Fed a Curveball
When the Federal Reserve officials last met in mid-March to decide on interest rates, they signaled hopes that the path of the economy would become clearer over time—giving them a solid perch from which to shape monetary policy. The economy had other plans.
In the seven weeks since that meeting, every key indicator has thrown a curveball. Growth is down, inflation is down, jobs are up, imports are up, and markets are wobbling. Stocks were down a lot in April until they weren’t anymore and ended the month flat. The Fed isn’t any closer to clarity, and the best bet for Wednesday’s meeting is more of the same: strategic hesitation.
Start with growth. First-quarter GDP fell at a 0.3 percent annualized rate, the first contraction since 2022.