world-economy

Chicago Fed Appoints Barlevy as Research Chief

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago named Gadi Barlevy to head its research division Thursday. Barlevy's appointment comes as the Chicago Fed's research team examines structural shifts in the financial system. Recent work from the division has focused on how private equity-owned insurance companies are reshaping portfolio allocations toward higher-yielding alternative credit instruments, increasingly connecting the insurance sector to broader financial markets. The research underscores growing interconnections across asset classes and investor types. Federal Reserve policymakers remain divided on monetary policy communication despite consensus on interest rate decisions. U.S. credit card debt stands at $1.25 trillion while maintaining a K-shaped pattern across borrower demographics.