The U.S. economy is like a horse... and should be playing baseball

• Housing is key to Fed's ability to reach middle class

  Although the Fed has been juicing the economy since late 2008, it doesn't feel that way to many people on Main Street. That's because a key part of the process has broken down.

  Tight credit and a large number of underwater homeowners means that many middle-class Americans simply haven't been able to benefit from the Fed's low interest rates.

  Now that the housing recovery is underway, that could change, said Federal Reserve MORE

  Annalyn Kurtz - Apr 18, 2013 3:17 PM ET
  Posted in: Federal Reserve, housing, middle class, sarah bloom raskin

• When will the Federal Reserve be led by a woman?

  Janet Yellen is the favorite pick for next Federal Reserve chair, should Ben Bernanke step down after his second term ends next January.

  At least, that's according to the latest chatter among Fed watchers, including Neil Irwin at the Washington Post's Wonkblog and The Economist.

  Of course, neither Yellen nor Bernanke have commented publicly on the matter.

  In its 100-year history, the Federal Reserve has never been led by a woman, and worldwide, MORE

  Annalyn Kurtz - Apr 4, 2013 6:14 PM ET
  Posted in: Federal Reserve, janet yellen, lean in

• Fed hints at more bond buying sprees

  Not everyone is thrilled with the Federal Reserve's loose purse strings over the past few years. With the economy now on the mend, many had hoped the massive spending sprees would finally start to wind down.

  But that might not be the case. At least not yet.

  Back at its September meeting, the Fed's policy making committee announced plans to launch QE3 -- a massive bond-buying program with an indefinite conclusion. As MORE

  Karen McGowan - Nov 14, 2012 3:53 PM ET
  Posted in: Federal Reserve, Operation Twist, QE3

• Why California is broke, and Texas is not

  Dallas Federal Reserve President Richard Fisher is proud of the Texas economy and isn't afraid to let it show.

  Known for colorful speeches that often include Lindsay Lohan, tequila or Washington Irving references, Fisher offered up this joke in a speech before the conservative Cato Institute Wednesday afternoon.

  Here, he describes how Texas has succeeded in producing a "pro-business, pro-growth environment," versus a state like California, which he says has done just MORE

  Annalyn Kurtz - Oct 10, 2012 4:46 PM ET
  Posted in: california, economy, Federal Reserve, Joke, Richard Fisher, Texas

• Jobs report likely to force Bernanke's hand

  A weak August jobs report signaled hiring continues to slog along at a snail's pace, giving the Federal Reserve even more reason to enact more stimulative measures -- possibly as soon as next week.

  The economy added just 96,000 jobs in August. And even though the unemployment rate dipped to 8.1% from 8.3% in July, any number above 8% is still uncomfortably high for the Fed. (Inflation, on the other hand, is MORE

  Annalyn Kurtz - Sep 7, 2012 10:21 AM ET
  Posted in: Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve, jobs, jobs report, monetary policye, QE3, quantitative easing, recovery

• Martin Feldstein: What worries me about QE

  Martin Feldstein, an economics professor at Harvard, is an adviser to Republican nominee Mitt Romney. He served as the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Ronald Reagan.

  We spoke with him at the Federal Reserve's economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyo., shortly after Ben Bernanke seemed to make a case for more stimulus from the central bank. Here's what Feldstein said were some of the potential risks:

  The risk that MORE

  Annalyn Kurtz - Sep 3, 2012 7:45 AM ET
  Posted in: Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve, jackson hole, Martin Feldstein, quantitative easing

• Ron Paul's 'Audit the Fed' bill passes the House

  Rep. Ron Paul must be delighted. His pet project -- a bill to audit the Federal Reserve -- just passed the House and will move on to the Senate.

  The bill's goal is not to be confused with a financial audit. Instead, it would open the Fed's decision making process up to a full investigation.

  Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke called it a "nightmare scenario" in testimony last week, because he believes it MORE

  Annalyn Kurtz - Jul 25, 2012 3:55 PM ET
  Posted in: Audit the Fed, Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve, ron paul

• Fed Beige Book notes weakness in Mid-Atlantic states

  The Federal Reserve's Beige Book notes that more regions of the country have started slowing recently.

  The report paints a picture of a "modest to moderate" recovery in June and early July, with better news coming from the housing market in particular. But one pocket of the country including the region surrounding New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio saw economic growth slow recently, the report said.

  Previously, only the Philadelphia region had MORE

  Annalyn Kurtz - Jul 18, 2012 2:24 PM ET
  Posted in: beige book, economy, Federal Reserve, housing, jobs, recovery

• Student loan deadbeats are older than you think

  The largest share of student loan deadbeats are celebrating their 25th college reunions.

  Borrowers age 40-49 have the highest proportion of loans that are at least 90 days behind, according to new data published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. And that's been true each quarter since 2005.

  Here's a profile of who holds student loans as of the first quarter of 2012:

  There are 14 million more student loan borrowers MORE

  Tami Luhby - Jul 17, 2012 4:55 PM ET
  Posted in: borrowers, college, debt, defaults, delinquencies, Federal Reserve, student loans