Stephen Slifer Quotations

It just really puts an intense focus on all of the economic indicators going forward. I suspect that the reaction to those numbers is going to be enhanced from what it used to be.

Greenspan is trying to be cautious by tapping the brakes ever so lightly, which I think will mean another quarter-point increase soon. This thing has so much momentum that, even though we've raised the speed limit, we're still going a little too fast.

Whether it's 7 percent or 7.3 percent the point remains the same: Growth is really strong and what's obviously an issue is how long this going to continue and what are we going to see going forward for the first few quarters of 2000.

It's important to stress that we do have some very good things going on in this economy, which Greenspan reiterated yesterday. What we should be thinking about is that this is a move that's designed to be a little bit preemptive to make sure that this rapid growth does not start resulting in higher inflation.

If those numbers come in as expected, you can pretty much bet on a seeing a major rally in the markets. The expectations will be that, so long as wages are tame, the Fed will bide their time and leave rates alone.

Were in the camp that says this is very much ado about nothing. I really do think the markets have overreacted to the prospect of higher rates.

Were in the camp that says this is very much ado about nothing, ... I really do think the markets have overreacted to the prospect of higher rates.

Inflation is great. But if we're going into a slower growth period with inflation at those levels, it's going to slow down from here?I would think that consumers have more and more confidence that the Fed is doing its job.

If you have growth that really does start to slow, that will relieve the intensity that the Fed somehow has to scrunch the economy right away.

These numbers are going to be a harbinger of things to come. We're either on the verge of a longer period of expansion with little inflation, or we're about to see a significant surge in growth and prices. These numbers will really show us where we're at.