What Will the Fed Say?

With the end to the COVID-19 pandemic nowhere in sight, all eyes are on the Federal Reserve as officials meet today.

The Fed is expected to stick with its low interest rates, according to Yahoo! News. This week’s meeting could give us a clue about how long rates are likely to remain where they are and what the Fed’s approach will be as infections increase around the country.

Here’s something we do know: the Fed is extending its emergency lending programs until the end of the year. According to CNBC, a series of initiatives that were set to expire on Sept. 30 will now run until at least Dec. 31. Those programs include:

Facilities for primary dealers and money markets;
Corporate bond purchases on the primary and second markets;
The Main Street Lending Program;
The Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility; and
The Paycheck Protection Program.

Some good news: CNBC reports that June’s new orders for U.S.-made capital goods saw their biggest increase in nearly two years. Non-defense capital goods gained 3.3%—the biggest increase since July 2018. The rise was likely driven by renewed demand as businesses began to open after months of closures.

But it’s not all good news. While the U.S. manufacturing sector has been showing strength, the surge of COVID-19 cases across the country threatens to wipe out gains as businesses nationwide are forced to close or pause reopenings. That threat to the industry—and to the reopening—continues to spur the NAM’s PSA campaign. Take a look at the latest artwork making the simple but powerful point: #MasksEqualMoney.