Central bankers from around the world have expressed full support for U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. This comes after President Donald Trump escalated his confrontation with the Fed by threatening criminal charges. The central bankers, including European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, emphasized the importance of central bank independence for economic stability. The dispute ostensibly centers on Powell's congressional testimony in June about renovation costs, but Trump has criticized Powell for not cutting rates faster. Economists warn that a politicized Fed could harm its credibility.

The United States is experiencing a shortage of pennies after President Trump decided to stop their production earlier this year. Merchants across the country are struggling to provide exact change, and banks are rationing their remaining supply. Some retailers are even offering promotions to encourage customers to bring in pennies. The shortage began in late summer and is worsening as the holiday season approaches. While the government aims to save money by discontinuing the penny, the abrupt decision has left retailers and banks without guidance. A bill in Congress, the Common Cents Act, seeks to address some of the issues.

The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Wednesday for a second time this year as it seeks to shore up economic growth and hiring even as inflation stays elevated. The move comes amid a fraught time for the central bank, with hiring sluggish and yet inflation stuck above the Fed's 2% target. Compounding its challenges, the central bank is navigating without much of the economic data it typically relies on from the government. The Fed has signaled it may reduce its key rate again in December but the data drought raises the uncertainty around its next moves. Fed Chair Jerome Powell told reporters that there were "strongly differing views" at the central bank's policy meeting about to proceed going forward.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday opened the door ever so slightly to lowering a key interest rate in the coming months but gave no hint on the timing of a move and suggested the central bank will proceed cautiously as it continues to evaluate the impact of tariffs and other policies on the economy. In a high-profile speech closely watched at the White House and on Wall Street, Powell said that there are risks of both rising unemployment and stubbornly higher inflation. Yet he suggested that with hiring sluggish, the job market could weaken further.

President Donald Trump is badgering the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, but even if the Fed gave in to the pressure, it wouldn't necessarily lead to lower borrowing costs for consumers. In fact, economists say, Trump's ongoing attacks on Fed Chair Jerome Powell and his tariff policies could keep the longer-term interest rates that matter for consumers and businesses higher than they otherwise would be. A less-independent Fed can lead, over time, to higher borrowing costs.