Neil Irwin

3 days ago | axios.com | Courtenay Brown |Neil Irwin

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/AxiosIn case there were any doubt, Wednesday's developments put them to rest. If the economy starts to seriously buckle due to the trade war, President Trump will blame the Federal Reserve and its leader, Jerome Powell. The big picture: Trump has made no secret that he thinks the Fed should be proactively cutting interest rates to ease the pain of any economic bumps ahead — despite the inflation risk also fueled by tariffs.

1 week ago | axios.com | Neil Irwin

Fed chair Jerome Powell. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesFederal Reserve chair Jerome Powell met with President Trump Thursday, a statement from the central bank said, amid the president's calls for lower interest rates. Why it matters: Trump has attacked Powell for not moving faster to lower interest rates, and at times suggested he may attempt to fire the Fed chief. This was the first meeting between the two since Trump returned to the White House in January.

1 week ago | flipboard.com | Neil Irwin

2 days agoDid the Supreme Court just allow Trump to dump Powell? Scotus made a decision on how the President can manage independent government agencies. The rumblings from the White House may have tempered a bit but …3 days agoFed Chair Shades Trump in Graduation Speech After SCOTUS Says He Can’t Be FiredJerome Powell defended America’s universities and called on graduates at Princeton University to “do whatever it takes” to protect democracy.

1 week ago | axios.com | Neil Irwin

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/AxiosRemember last week when investors worldwide shunned long-term government debt? Never mind. Long bonds have bounced back in a big way this week. The big picture: That means some interest rate relief. But the extraordinary volatility of bond market action lately — including a rebound on mere glimmers of news — makes plain that all is not well in some of the most important markets on Earth.

2 weeks ago | axios.com | Courtenay Brown |Neil Irwin

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty ImagesWith a blast of early morning social media posts Friday, President Trump escalated the trade war that the White House had spent weeks reducing to a low boil. Why it matters: It was a reminder that there will be no permanent trade peace in this administration, only trade war lulls of uncertain duration. That reality could keep financial markets on edge.