Claudia Sahm
@claudia-sahm.bsky.social
16K followers 400 following 410 posts

macro, fiscal, Fed. creator of the Sahm rule recession indicator. Stay-At-Home Macro (SAHM) Substack.

Claudia Rae Sahm is an American economist, currently serving as Chief Economist for New Century Advisors. She is also the founder of Sahm Consulting. Claudia was formerly director of macroeconomic policy at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, and a Section Chief at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, where she worked in various capacities from 2007 to 2019. Sahm specializes in macroeconomics and household finance. She is best known for the development of the Sahm rule, a Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) indicator for identifying recessions in real-time. .. more

Economics 57%
Business 32%
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

claudia-sahm.bsky.social
It’s a good reason not to hold up the cola. Nice to hear.

claudia-sahm.bsky.social
Any word on the collection for October CPI? Delay in publishing estimates is a problem; missing the data to do an estimate is an even bigger one.

Reposted by Claudia Sahm

bencasselman.bsky.social
SCOOP: The Bureau of Labor Statistics is preparing to release the September C.P.I. report despite the shutdown. (Exact date still unclear -- almost certainly not the original Oct. 15 date.) #EconSky #NumbersDay

claudia-sahm.bsky.social
"“At a moment like this, as complicated as monetary policy is, if everybody were in agreement, I would actually be worried that they're missing something,” Sahm said." .... Looking forward to the FOMC minutes tomorrow. www.marketplace.org/story/2025/1...
The Fed minutes may hint at what's next for interest rates
The minutes are dry, but they contain clues about what the central bank might do next.
www.marketplace.org

claudia-sahm.bsky.social
The President could have designated a handful of BLS employees essential and given us the September employment report today. Instead, we got this ...
ronfilipkowski.bsky.social
Posted by the President of the United States.

Reposted by Claudia Sahm

ronfilipkowski.bsky.social
Posted by the President of the United States.

claudia-sahm.bsky.social
They get the ADP micro data and estimate their own series.

claudia-sahm.bsky.social
"Economists stress that the Fed is not flying blind. Sahm said a better description was that the central bank is driving with a dirty windshield.

“They will find ways to bring information in. They have navigated shutdowns before. They will make the best of what they have,” she said."
marketwatch.com
The Federal Reserve is already staring down the difficult task of determining interest-rate policy in the midst of a sluggish labor market and high inflation. Now the government shutdown could make the central bank’s job even harder.
Government shutdown means Fed lacks crucial data as it considers rate cuts
It’s a bad time for the data to disappear.
trib.al

Reposted by Claudia Sahm

marketwatch.com
The Federal Reserve is already staring down the difficult task of determining interest-rate policy in the midst of a sluggish labor market and high inflation. Now the government shutdown could make the central bank’s job even harder.
Government shutdown means Fed lacks crucial data as it considers rate cuts
It’s a bad time for the data to disappear.
trib.al

claudia-sahm.bsky.social
Tenure protections are critical to Fed independence. The White House argued that the president can define "cause" for firing without judicial review. If the Supreme Court had found that reasoning ironclad, Cook would've been removed. We might still end up with weak tenure protections, but not today!

claudia-sahm.bsky.social
Today's decision doesn't end the threats to Fed independence, far from it, but it does slow down the attacks and lowers odds of some worst case scenarios.

For example, Trump won't have a loyalist majority early next year when the Reserve Bank Presidents reviewed. Powell less likely to be fired.

Reposted by Trevon D. Logan

claudia-sahm.bsky.social
THIS IS VERY VERY GOOD NEWS.
annabower.bsky.social
BREAKING: Supreme Court will allow Lisa Cook to remain on federal reserve board for now, ruling that the government’s application for a stay is deferred pending oral argument in January 2026
CORDER LIST: 606 U.S.)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2025
25A312
ORDER IN PENDING CASE
TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF U.S., ET AL. V. COOK, LISA D.
The application for stay presented to The Chief Justice and
by him referred to the Court is deferred pending oral argument in
January 2026. The Clerk is directed to establish a briefing
schedule for amici curiae and any supplemental briefs responding
to amici.

annabower.bsky.social
BREAKING: Supreme Court will allow Lisa Cook to remain on federal reserve board for now, ruling that the government’s application for a stay is deferred pending oral argument in January 2026
CORDER LIST: 606 U.S.)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2025
25A312
ORDER IN PENDING CASE
TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF U.S., ET AL. V. COOK, LISA D.
The application for stay presented to The Chief Justice and
by him referred to the Court is deferred pending oral argument in
January 2026. The Clerk is directed to establish a briefing
schedule for amici curiae and any supplemental briefs responding
to amici.

claudia-sahm.bsky.social
How does the Fed selling assets raise their price (lower the yield)?
mattpeterson.bsky.social
Warsh says “interest rates can be made lower.” He draws a distinction between the Fed’s short-term policy rate and long-term rates for mortgages and other financial products. It’s the latter he’s more concerned about. He will lower long rates primarily by ridding the Fed of its financial assets

Reposted by Claudia Sahm

mattpeterson.bsky.social
Warsh says “interest rates can be made lower.” He draws a distinction between the Fed’s short-term policy rate and long-term rates for mortgages and other financial products. It’s the latter he’s more concerned about. He will lower long rates primarily by ridding the Fed of its financial assets

Reposted by Claudia Sahm

mattpeterson.bsky.social
Warsh: “The data that most economists, including the Fed leadership, rely on, is data that comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Commerce. I don't know a single high quality public company that relies on data that is that dated, that is subject to that much error.”
mtkonczal.bsky.social
New post, I finally wrote my thoughts on the Stephen Miran Federal Reserve speech.

I think it shows yet another reason for central bank independence. Without it, you can't tell what's a genuine outsider take and what's just carrying water for the Executive.
mikekonczal.substack.com/p/mirans-cas...
Miran’s Case for Cuts: A Reminder of Why Independence is Essential
Stephen Miran's recent speech highlights not just a debate over r*, but the deeper risks of allowing White House talking points to shape monetary policy.
mikekonczal.substack.com

claudia-sahm.bsky.social
I'm not sure how to read it other than making a commitment to lower rates -- data willing or not -- is the playbook.

The Fed is in a time of transition and it's worthwhile listening to people like Bowman and Miran, especially where their views are outside the current norms at the Fed.

claudia-sahm.bsky.social
Similar to Miran (and Bessent) in my post, Bowman, in her speech last week, had an anti-data vibe. www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...

Reposted by Claudia Sahm

econberger.bsky.social
JOLTS preview:

1/ Unless we avert a government shutdown, tomorrow morning's JOLTS release (August) will be the last major government update on the labor market for a while.

We saw a teeny bit of hiring softness in June/July, but...

claudia-sahm.bsky.social
This season of The Apprentice is getting really old.