stlouisfed

The takeaway

The Kansas City Fed uses options prices to measure how financial markets perceive the balance of risks for future short-term interest rates: a.k.a., the KC Policy Rate Skew.

The data

Options are publicly traded financial instruments that reflect expectations about future economic conditions. The Kansas City Fed uses options prices to create their d...

The takeaway

The Fed’s monetary aggregates measure the amount of money in the economy. One such measure is M2, which includes liquid assets such as checking accounts but excludes non-liquid assets such as individual retirement accounts.

What is M2?

M2 measures how much money is readily available in the economy. That is, funds easily converted to cash. As of Jun...

The takeaway

The New York Fed’s consumer credit dataset is now calculated with a different methodology—one that includes 33 million more borrowers than before.

The Consumer Credit Panel

With a data update on August 10, 2026, the New York Fed has changed the way it measures subprime credit risk in their Consumer Credit Panel, moving from the old/discontinued methodolog...

The takeaway

Measures of household financial well-being don’t always align with consumer sentiment. You can feel relatively secure about your finances while still being pessimistic about the overall economy.

Are you doing OK?

In an earlier post...

The takeaway

The most recent measure of the cost of owning a home (vs. renting a home) remains near historical peaks, suggesting renting today is a relatively better financial choice for housing.

To own or not to own?

Which is the better financial choice—owning or renting your home? The FRED Blog