by Carol Champagne | Aug 3, 2026 | Interest Rate Swaps & Caps, Swap & Cap Contract Negotiation
The Federal Reserve elected to keep rates steady at their meeting last week, but the decision was not unanimous. Three members voted to raise interest rates as pressure builds to control inflation, which has been above the targeted rate for the last five years. The...
by Carol Champagne | Jul 27, 2026 | Interest Rate Swaps & Caps, Swap & Cap Contract Negotiation
The futures markets are not expecting the Fed to change monetary policy at this week’s regularly scheduled meeting on July 28-29. The markets will be paying close attention to the statements released during the meeting, and what the FOMC will be saying about rising...
by Carol Champagne | Jul 20, 2026 | Interest Rate Swaps & Caps, Swap & Cap Contract Negotiation
The Consumer Price Index in June rose 3.5 percent, slowing down from 4.2 percent in May. This was the first drop in the annual inflation rate since January and is largely due to the truce with Iraq that allowed gas prices to drop. The tensions have escalated again in...
by Carol Champagne | Jul 13, 2026 | Interest Rate Swaps & Caps
The Fed released their minutes from their June meeting. The statement shows the voting members are split on whether inflation will abate once the war in the Middle East is settled. “Many” of the officials say the federal funds rate will remain unchanged, or slightly...
by Carol Champagne | Jul 6, 2026 | Interest Rate Swaps & Caps, Swap & Cap Contract Negotiation
The US economy created 57,000 new jobs in June, below the 129,000 added in May, and far less than the expected 115,000. The unemployment rate was down to 4.2 percent due to a 0.3 percent decline in the labor force participation rate, which is at its lowest since March...