Perspectives on the Economy and the Banking Landscape

By

Susan M. Collins

October 13, 2026

Boston, Massachusetts

25th Annual Regional & Community Bankers Conference

Full-text Speech

(pdf)

President & CEO Susan M. Collins spoke at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s 25th Annual Regional & Community Bankers Conference and discussed the national economy, monetary policy, and banking conditions in New England.

Collins highlighted the economy’s resilience, the risks of persistently elevated inflation, and the recent Federal Open Market Committee decision to raise the federal funds rate. She said she currently expects "it will be appropriate to raise rates a bit further before the end of the year." But she said that it would "depend importantly on how the totality of incoming data shapes my outlook and the associated balance of risks."

Collins also spoke of the benefits of a system where regional Reserve Banks conduct research and hear from stakeholders at events like the conference. This “regional rootedness” helps the Fed understand current conditions and future expectations, Collins said. “I and other regional Reserve Bank presidents bring these insights to the monetary policymaking table in Washington,” she said.

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About the Authors

Susan M. Collins

Susan M. Collins is President & Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

Resources

Full-text Speech

(pdf)

Keywords

monetary policy

U.S. economic outlook

FOMC

Labor Market

inflation

prices

employment

banking

loans