Sep 16, 2026
US producer price index rose 5.4% year-over-year in August, exceeding forecasts of 5.3%, as Brent crude topped $107 per barrel amid Middle East tensions, increasing pressure on the Federal Reserve ahead of its September meeting.
Consumer prices rose 3.4% annually in August, unchanged from July, as the Iran war pushed gasoline and diesel prices higher. The persistent inflation increases pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates next week.
President Trump intensified pressure on the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, threatening to cut off trade with countries with which the US has a deficit if the central bank does not comply. He made the comments after a stronger-than-expected jobs report.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted preliminary conditional approval to both Revolut and a16z-backed OpenReserve to establish national banks in the US. Both companies plan to offer cryptocurrency services, though additional approvals from FDIC and Federal Reserve are still required.
Bitcoin rallied approximately 5% to break above $81,000 on September 3 after Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller signaled support for holding rates steady in September. The move triggered over $415 million in short liquidations and marked Bitcoin's highest level since May.
Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh warned at the Jackson Hole conference that inflation remains too high and suggested the central bank may need to raise interest rates in coming months, despite potential political pressure from President Trump.
Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh indicated at the Jackson Hole economic symposium that the central bank may raise interest rates in the coming months, stating inflation is still too high and "we have work to do." This represents a clearer signal about potential rate hikes than Warsh had previously provided.
Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh delivered his first Jackson Hole keynote, stating inflation is still too high and suggesting the central bank may need to raise interest rates in coming months. Markets reacted with volatility as Bitcoin fell below $80,000.
The Justice Department announced it disrupted a Chinese state-sponsored hacking operation that successfully infiltrated multiple sensitive federal agencies including the DOJ, Federal Reserve, Senate, NASA, and Department of Energy.
President Trump is reviving his attempt to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, pressing her to respond to allegations of mortgage fraud that Cook has called baseless, potentially sparking a fresh legal battle over Fed independence.
President Trump has repeatedly called Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh to chat, renewing questions about the independence of the central bank. Trump publicly stated rates should drop but acknowledged it's not entirely Warsh's decision alone.
The Federal Reserve kept its benchmark rate unchanged at 3.50%-3.75% on July 29, but three policymakers voted for a 25-basis-point hike—the first three-member dissent since 2016. Markets had priced in roughly 35% odds of a surprise hike.
The US Supreme Court refused to allow President Trump to immediately fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, preserving the central bank's independence. However, the court did grant Trump broader authority to fire heads of most other independent agencies.
Congressional leaders announced a bipartisan agreement on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which includes provisions barring the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency until 2030. The Senate previously voted 89-10 in favor of similar CBDC restrictions.
The Federal Reserve proposed creating a new, more limited form of payment account that would allow firms like fintechs to move money across the Fed's payment rails without enjoying all the privileges of traditional master accounts.
President Trump signed an executive order instructing the Federal Reserve and other regulators to review and modernize banking rules regarding payment system access for crypto and fintech firms within 120 days.
The Federal Reserve maintained interest rates unchanged in what is expected to be Jerome Powell's final FOMC meeting as chairman, with a split 8-4 vote creating uncertainty around future policy. Kevin Warsh cleared Senate Banking Committee approval to become the next Fed chair.
The Department of Justice closed its criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, passing the matter to the Fed's inspector general. The move clears a potential obstacle for Senate confirmation of crypto-friendly Kevin Warsh as Powell's replacement.
California Representatives Sam Liccardo and Young Kim introduced bipartisan legislation that would grant certain nonbank providers, including crypto firms, access to the Federal Reserve's payment infrastructure.