greenbooks · March 17, 2008
Greenbook/Tealbook
Prefatory Note
The attached document represents the most complete and accurate version available
based on original files from the FOMC Secretariat at the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System.
Please note that some material may have been redacted from this document if that
material was received on a confidential basis. Redacted material is indicated by
occasional gaps in the text or by gray boxes around non-text content. All redacted
passages are exempt from disclosure under applicable provisions of the Freedom of
Information Act.
Content last modified 03/07/2014.
Confidential (FR) Class III FOMC
March 14, 2008
CURRENT ECONOMIC
AND FINANCIAL CONDITIONS
Supplemental Notes
Prepared for the Federal Open Market Committee
by the staff of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
The Domestic Nonfinancial Economy ......................................................1
Consumer Sentiment....................................................................................1
Consumer Prices ..........................................................................................1
Tables
Reuters/University of Michigan Survey of Consumers ...............................3
Recent Changes in Consumer Price Indexes ...............................................4
Chart
Consumer Price Index..................................................................................5
The Domestic Financial Economy
Tables
Commercial Bank Credit .............................................................................6
Selected Financial Market Quotations .........................................................7
-1-
The Domestic Nonfinancial Economy
Consumer Sentiment
After a sharp decline in February, the Reuters/University of Michigan index of consumer
sentiment held steady in early March at a low level. Households’ assessment of business
conditions during the next twelve months was even more pessimistic in March than in
February, but their longer-term view of the economy improved somewhat. While
respondents’ appraisal of buying conditions for large household goods improved slightly,
their views of buying cars and homes slipped. More than 50 percent of households now
expect the unemployment rate to rise over the next year.
Households’ median expectation for year-ahead inflation jumped almost 1 percentage
point in March to 4.5 percent from 3.6 percent in February. This is highest level recorded
since the month after Hurricane Katrina. In contrast, the median expectation for inflation
over the next five years edged down to 2.9 percent.
Consumer Prices
The consumer price index (CPI) was essentially unchanged in February, as energy prices
fell ½ percent and core prices were unchanged. February’s flat core CPI reflected a
moderation in a few of the categories with high inflation recently. Prices for apparel fell
after seasonal adjustment following sizable increases in recent months; lodging away
from home dropped back, reversing its significant rise in January; and increases in the
indexes for medical services and tenants’ and owners’ equivalent rent were a good bit
lower than in recent months. The twelve-month increase in the core CPI stood at
2.3 percent in February, 0.4 percentage point less than the rise over the previous twelve
months.
Based on our translation of the February CPI data, we estimate that both overall PCE
prices and core PCE prices rose 0.2 percent last month.1 Lodging away from home and
tenants’ and owners’ equivalent rent receive a lower weight in PCE than they do in the
CPI, and the estimate of medical services in the PCE index comes largely from the
producer price index (PPI) instead of the CPI. These differences, along with other
weighting differences between the CPI and PCE prices, suggest core PCE inflation in
February will moderate substantially less than the CPI.
Last month’s decline of ½ percent in the CPI for energy reversed only a small portion of
the substantial jump in energy prices since the end of last summer. A sharp increase in
natural gas prices in February was more than offset by falling prices for other energy
components, particularly a decline of 2 percent in gasoline prices. However, the fall in
gasoline prices appears to have been short-lived as survey data from late February and
early March suggest a considerable rise in gasoline prices in the March CPI, and futures
1
The translation from CPI prices to PCE prices is less certain than usual this month
because the February PPI has not yet been released.
-2-
prices suggest further near-term price increases. For the twelve months ending in
February, energy prices in the CPI increased 19 percent, compared with a decline of
1 percent over the previous twelve month period.
Despite declines in prices for meats and for fruits and vegetables, CPI food prices
continued their upward climb—rising 0.4 percent in February. Prices of dairy products
increased 0.8 percent, and the index for food away from home rose 0.4 percent. Food
away from home, one of the least volatile indexes in the CPI, has increased at roughly a 4
percent rate for much of the past year. Overall, the CPI for food was up 4.6 percent over
the twelve months ending in February, 1.5 percentage points more than over the
preceding year.
The Domestic Financial Economy
3
March 14, 2008
Reuters/University of Michigan Survey of Consumers
Indexes of consumer sentiment
(Not seasonally adjusted)
2007
2008
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov. Dec.
Jan.
Feb. Mar.P
Composite of current and expected conditions1
Current conditions1
Expected conditions1
83.4
98.4
73.7
83.4
97.9
74.1
80.9
97.6
70.1
76.1
91.5
66.2
75.5
91.0
65.6
78.4
94.4
68.1
70.8
83.8
62.4
70.5
84.6
61.4
Personal financial situation
Now compared with 12 months ago2
Expected in 12 months2
103
120
109
119
111
119
101
115
98
112
98
116
94
112
94
110
87
88
82
96
78
84
73
76
68
81
68
88
54
83
48
87
Appraisal of buying conditions
Cars
Large household appliances2
Houses
133
152
118
139
144
123
128
142
131
117
136
122
117
137
128
119
146
124
119
123
140
115
125
130
Expected unemployment change - next 12 months
131
127
130
128
139
141
141
145
Prob. household will lose a job - next 5 years
24
21
21
19
23
21
24
21
Expected inflation - next 12 months
Mean
Median
4.0
3.2
4.0
3.1
3.7
3.1
4.3
3.4
4.4
3.4
4.0
3.4
3.9
3.6
4.6
4.5
Expected inflation - next 5 to 10 years
Mean
Median
3.4
2.9
3.4
2.9
3.1
2.8
3.4
2.9
3.5
3.1
3.4
3.0
3.4
3.0
3.3
2.9
Category
Expected business conditions
Next 12 months2
Next 5 years2
Note. Figures on financial, business, and buying conditions are the percent reporting ’good times’ (or
’better’) minus the percent reporting ’bad times’ (or ’worse’), plus 100. Expected change in unemployment
is the fraction expecting unemployment to rise minus the fraction expecting unemployment to fall, plus 100.
P Preliminary.
1. Feb. 1966 = 100.
2. Indicates the question is one of the five equally-weighted components of the index of sentiment.
Expected inflation
Consumer sentiment
1966 = 100
130
1985 = 100
180
160
120
4
Reuters/Michigan (right scale)
140
100
100
90
80
3
Mar.P
2
2002
P Preliminary.
2004
Median, 12 months ahead
1
1
70
Conference Board (left scale)
2000
3
2
80
Feb. P
Mar.
40
4
Median, 5 to 10 years ahead
110
120
60
Percent
5
5
2006
2008
60
0
2000
2002
P Preliminary.
2004
2006
2008
0
4
Recent Changes in Consumer Price Indexes
(Percent change)
12-month change2
Item
Weights1
Feb.
2007
Feb.
2008
3-month change
Nov.
2007
Feb.
2008
2007
Nov. Dec. Jan.
Annual rate
Total CPI
2008
Feb.
Monthly rate
100.0
2.4
4.0
6.3
3.1
.9
.4
.4
.0
13.8
1.8
1.2
10.9
3.1
2.7
6.0
2.8
4.6
4.8
1.3
4.9
4.3
2.5
10.9
3.9
4.7
2.3
2.2
5.4
.4
.0
2.0
.3
.1
-.1
-.3
.2
.7
.8
2.2
.5
.4
-.1
-1.3
.6
9.7
5.5
.4
1.1
2.8
-1.0
-1.4
.6
-9.7
3.7
18.9
32.7
33.0
3.5
3.4
43.6
77.6
72.4
.2
9.5
7.6
7.8
21.3
21.9
-1.2
6.9
11.8
8.9
.5
.6
1.7
2.8
2.5
.2
.1
.7
1.1
3.7
-2.2
-.1
-.5
-2.0
-1.2
7.2
-.3
76.5
21.6
10.8
3.7
.7
6.3
2.7
.0
2.0
2.1
6.4
1.4
2.3
.0
1.0
-1.0
4.8
1.8
2.6
.5
1.9
3.4
5.0
.7
2.3
.4
2.3
.8
9.8
2.4
.2
.1
.2
.6
.2
-.1
.2
.0
.1
.1
.8
.0
.3
.2
.4
.4
1.1
.3
.0
-.1
.1
-.3
.4
.3
Durables
New vehicles
New cars
New trucks
Used cars and trucks
Computers
Audio/Video Equipment
Other Durables
10.8
4.6
1.8
.2
.7
3.5
-1.8
-1.4
-.5
-2.3
-3.5
-11.5
-8.2
.1
-1.0
-.8
-.6
-.7
2.0
-11.7
-5.3
-1.4
-.9
-.9
-1.1
-.2
-1.5
-22.2
-1.6
.9
-1.4
-2.5
-1.8
-2.5
1.9
1.8
-4.2
-1.3
.1
.0
.0
.1
-.2
-4.1
-.1
.5
-.1
-.1
.0
-.1
.2
-.1
.1
-.2
-.1
-.3
-.3
-.2
.2
1.0
-.3
.0
-.2
-.3
-.1
-.3
.0
-.5
-.9
-.2
Services excluding energy
Rent of shelter
Owners’ equivalent rent
Rent of primary residence
Lodging away from home
54.9
32.3
23.9
5.8
2.6
3.8
4.3
4.2
4.6
4.3
3.2
2.9
2.6
3.7
3.5
3.4
3.0
3.2
4.5
-.9
3.1
2.7
2.6
3.6
1.0
.3
.3
.3
.4
-.2
.3
.3
.3
.4
.3
.4
.4
.3
.3
1.1
.1
.0
.1
.2
-1.2
22.6
4.6
2.7
.7
14.5
3.0
5.1
6.0
1.4
1.9
3.5
5.0
5.5
7.6
2.5
3.8
5.8
6.1
18.8
2.1
3.6
3.9
5.8
7.4
3.0
.3
.4
.5
1.9
.2
.3
.3
.5
1.2
.3
.4
.6
.6
.8
.3
.1
.1
.3
-.3
.1
100.0
2.2
3.7
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
77.6
2.3
2.0
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
Food
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs
Fruits and vegetables
Other
Energy
Motor Fuel
Heating oil
Natural gas
Electricity
CPI excluding food and energy
Goods ex. food and energy
Nondurables ex. food and energy
Apparel
Tobacco
Other nondurables
Services ex. energy and shelter
Medical services
Tuition and other school fees
Air fares
Other services
Memo:
Chained CPI
All items less food
and energy
1. Relative importance weights for December 2007, which are based on 2005-2006 expenditure weights.
For the chained CPI, the 2005-2006 expenditure weights are shown.
2. Not seasonally adjusted.
5
Consumer Price Index
(Percent change at annual rate)
All items
Percent
11
11
9
9
3-month change
7
7
5
5
12-month change
Feb.
3
3
1
1
-1
-1
-3
-3
-5
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Excluding food and energy
2008
-5
Percent
4
4
3-month change
3
3
Feb.
2
2
12-month
change
1
0
1
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Excluding food and energy
2008
0
4
Percent
4
3
3
Published 12-month change
Feb.
2
2
Chain CPI 12-month change
1
0
1
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
0
6
Commercial Bank Credit
(Percent change, annual rate, except as noted; seasonally adjusted)
Type of credit
Level1
Feb. 2008p
2006
H1
2007
Q3
2007
Q4
2007
Jan.
2008
Feb.
2008p
9.6
9.4
12.4
8.9
4.1
6.7
8,797
Total
Loans2
Total
To businesses
Commercial and industrial
Commercial real estate
10.9
10.2
12.6
11.8
12.4
4.4
6,745
16.5
13.7
10.0
9.6
24.3
12.4
29.2
8.2
12.6
5.9
1.6
10.7
1,428
1,601
To households
Residential real estate
Revolving home equity
Other
Consumer
Originated3
Other4
7.0
1.4
9.1
5.9
6.9
11.8
10.7
2.0
13.6
6.4
5.2
14.1
2.6
6.7
1.3
10.5
10.3
19.6
1.0
11.9
-2.6
7.6
7.4
18.9
5.3
10.9
3.3
12.7
16.0
35.5
4.5
5.9
4.0
1.3
4.9
.7
1,890
489
1,401
813
1,222
1,014
6.1
1.9
13.2
6.9
-4.2
23.8
11.7
5.6
19.9
.2
-22.3
29.3
-22.5
-21.7
-23.6
14.4
4.7
25.6
2,052
1,085
967
Securities
Total
Treasury and agency
Other5
Note. Yearly annual rates are Q4 to Q4; quarterly and monthly annual rates use corresponding average levels. Data
have been adjusted to remove the effects of mark-to-market accounting rules (FIN 39 and FAS 115), the consolidation of
certain variable interest entities (FIN 46), the adoption of fair value accounting (FAS 159), and the effects of sizable
thrift-to-bank and bank-to-thrift structure activity in October 2006, March 2007, and October 2007. Data also account for
breaks caused by reclassifications.
1. Billions of dollars. Pro rata averages of weekly (Wednesday) levels.
2. Excludes interbank loans.
3. Includes an estimate of outstanding loans securitized by commercial banks.
4. Includes security loans and loans to farmers, state and local governments, and all others not elsewhere classified.
Also includes lease financing receivables.
5. Includes private mortgage-backed securities, securities of corporations, state and local governments, foreign
governments, and any trading account assets that are not Treasury or agency securities, including revaluation gains
on derivative contracts.
p Preliminary.
C&I Loan Rate Spreads
Return on Assets for Commercial Banks
Basis points
Percent
240
Quarterly
Q4
220
2.0
Quarterly, s.a.a.r.
100 largest banks
All other banks
Q3
1.5
200
Weighted
average
Q1
Q4
180
160
Weighted
average
adjusted*
1.0
0.5
Q4
Q1
140
0.0
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
Note. Spreads over market interest rate on an instrument of
comparable maturity on loans less than $25 million (2006$).
*Adjusted for changes in nonprice loan characteristics.
Source. Survey of Terms of Business Lending.
1992
1995
Source. Call Report.
1998
2001
2004
2007
7
III-T-1
Selected Financial Market Quotations
(One-day quotes in percent except as noted)
2006
2007
Change to Mar. 13 from
selected dates (percentage points)
2008
Instrument
June 29
Sept. 17
Jan. 29
Mar. 13
2006
June 29
2007
Sept. 17
2008
Jan. 29
5.25
5.25
3.50
3.00
-2.25
-2.25
-.50
4.88
5.06
4.05
4.15
2.23
2.29
1.33
1.47
-3.55
-3.59
-2.72
-2.68
-.90
-.82
Commercial paper (A1/P1 rates)2
1-month
3-month
5.27
5.37
5.23
5.25
3.08
3.02
2.61
2.80
-2.66
-2.57
-2.62
-2.45
-.47
-.22
Large negotiable CDs1
3-month
6-month
5.47
5.59
5.52
5.36
3.22
3.17
2.78
2.82
-2.69
-2.77
-2.74
-2.54
-.44
-.35
Eurodollar deposits3
1-month
3-month
5.33
5.49
5.55
5.60
3.30
3.30
2.80
2.85
-2.53
-2.64
-2.75
-2.75
-.50
-.45
Bank prime rate
8.25
8.25
6.50
6.00
-2.25
-2.25
-.50
Intermediate- and long-term
U.S. Treasury4
2-year
5-year
10-year
5.26
5.15
5.28
4.12
4.18
4.58
2.25
2.89
3.88
1.66
2.52
3.79
-3.60
-2.63
-1.49
-2.46
-1.66
-.79
-.59
-.37
-.09
U.S. Treasury indexed notes5
5-year
10-year
2.51
2.61
2.04
2.15
.78
1.39
.31
1.18
-2.20
-1.43
-1.73
-.97
-.47
-.21
Municipal general obligations (Bond Buyer)6
4.71
4.46
4.29
4.94
.23
.48
.65
Private instruments
10-year swap
10-year FNMA7
10-year AA8
10-year BBB8
10-year high yield8
5.81
5.59
6.20
6.74
8.74
5.17
5.01
6.05
6.46
8.95
4.26
4.26
5.66
6.39
9.85
4.19
4.57
6.16
6.75
10.40
-1.62
-1.02
-.04
.01
1.66
-.98
-.44
.11
.29
1.45
-.07
.31
.50
.36
.55
Home mortgages (FHLMC survey rate)
30-year fixed
1-year adjustable
6.78
5.82
6.34
5.65
5.68
5.05
6.13
5.14
-.65
-.68
-.21
-.51
.45
.09
Short-term
FOMC intended federal funds rate
Treasury bills1
3-month
6-month
Record high
2007
Change to Mar. 13
from selected dates (percent)
2008
Stock exchange index
Dow Jones Industrial
S&P 500 Composite
Nasdaq
Russell 2000
Wilshire 5000
Level
Date
Sept. 17
Jan. 29
Mar. 13
Record
high
2007
Sept. 17
2008
Jan. 29
14,165
1,565
5,049
856
15,807
10-9-07
10-9-07
3-10-00
7-13-07
10-9-07
13,403
1,477
2,582
776
14,839
12,480
1,362
2,358
705
13,740
12,146
1,315
2,264
680
13,267
-14.25
-15.95
-55.16
-20.57
-16.07
-9.38
-10.91
-12.32
-12.39
-10.60
-2.68
-3.44
-4.01
-3.61
-3.44
1. Secondary market.
2. Financial commercial paper.
3. Bid rates for Eurodollar deposits collected around 9:30 a.m. eastern time.
4. Derived from a smoothed Treasury yield curve estimated using off-the-run securities.
5. Derived from a smoothed Treasury yield curve estimated using all outstanding securities and adjusted for the carry effect.
6. Most recent Thursday quote.
7. Constant-maturity yields estimated from Fannie Mae domestic noncallable coupon securities.
8. Derived from smoothed corporate yield curves estimated using Merrill Lynch bond data.
_______________________________________________________________________
NOTES:
June 29, 2006, is the day the most recent policy tightening ended.
September 17, 2007, is the day before the most recent policy easing began.
January 29, 2008, is the day before the most recent FOMC announcement.
_______________________________________________________________________
Cite this document
APA
Federal Reserve (2008, March 17). Greenbook/Tealbook. Greenbooks, Federal Reserve. https://whenthefedspeaks.com/doc/greenbook_20080318_part3
BibTeX
@misc{wtfs_greenbook_20080318_part3,
author = {Federal Reserve},
title = {Greenbook/Tealbook},
year = {2008},
month = {Mar},
howpublished = {Greenbooks, Federal Reserve},
url = {https://whenthefedspeaks.com/doc/greenbook_20080318_part3},
note = {Retrieved via When the Fed Speaks corpus}
}