Likelihood of Fed Rate Cut Less Clear

"It certainly does not rise to the sort of anecdotal deterioration that would require an immediate monetary policy response"


The arrival of September was supposed to bring more clarity to the economic impact of the current credit crisis. Instead, each new bit of data coming out seems to be creating more confusion.

The first labor market contraction in four years, as revealed Friday in a weaker-than-expected jobs report, shows that the housing and mortgage collapse is putting some strain on the economy. And the continued dislocation in commercial paper markets, where companies raise cash to fund their operations, should be taken as a warning sign _ in flashing red _ that more bad news may be coming.