Economic Commentary

ECONOMY AND POLICY May 22, 2020 Chief Economist Scott Brown discusses current economic conditions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that all 50 states experienced a decrease in payrolls and an increase in unemployment in April. Following some weeks of varying degrees of mandated social distancing, all 50 states have now begun to open up […]

ECONOMY AND POLICY May 22, 2020 Chief Economist Scott Brown discusses the latest market data. The stock market was choppy as investors bounced between hopes for a successful reopening of the economy and fears of a more prolonged slowdown. In his testimony to the Senate Banking Committee, Fed Chair Powell stuck to monetary policy (the […]

ECONOMY AND POLICY May 15, 2020 Chief Economist Scott Brown discusses current economic conditions. In his May 13 webcast on the economic outlook, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell struck a cautious tone. That mood was reinforced by the economic data reports that followed. The economic outlook depends on the virus and efforts to contain it. […]

ECONOMY AND POLICY May 15, 2020 Chief Economist Scott Brown discusses the latest market data. In a May 13 webcast on the economic outlook, Fed Chair Powell took a somber tone, noting that the unprecedented speed and scope of the current downturn has been “significantly worse than any recession since World War II.” The Fed’s […]