Politics

Freddie Mac shares rose to $4.14 at 12:30 p.m. in New York Friday, Fannie Mae's stock climbed to about $4.23, each up 22% from the previous day's close.

The Federal Reserve will seek comment on the current stress-testing regime with an eye toward increasing transparency and reducing volatility. Modifications would not go into effect until at least 2026.

Economists say the U.S. economy is leaving 2024 healthy, with unemployment low, inflation manageable and growth robust. Unknown variables — including the depth and scope of President-elect Donald Trump's immigration and tariff policies — could change that course, but likely not until 2026.

The Federal Reserve lowered its policy rate but signaled a more "cautious" approach to future cuts in light of higher inflation expectations. Policy uncertainty was one of several contributing factors to that change in forecast.

The new deal will increase the sponsor's 2024 issuance to more than $3 billion.

Annualized inflation increased to 2.7% in November from 2.6% the previous month, providing further evidence that the economy remains strong despite restrictive monetary policy.

Economic forecasts include the possibility of higher inflation and slower growth that could stall future cuts to the federal fund rates.

The Federal Reserve chair is not concerned about President-elect Trump nominating his successor well in advance of the end of his term in 2026, saying he is "confident" he will have a productive relationship with the next Treasury Secretary.

The group is calling for the Trump administration to preserve certain features if it picks up where it left off and finishes cutting ties to the Treasury.

Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller, a Trump appointee, said that while recent inflation readings are concerning, monetary policy would remain restrictive even if the central bank cuts interest rates by another quarter-point this month.