PODCAST: Stress tests and more political ads

 The guardians of interest rates and stimulus are in the first session of a two day meeting today in Washington. It’s also a big week for the Federal Reserve in its role as bank supervisor.  This is the first round of stress tests for banks and it is supposed to help prevent the government having to bail out the banks as happened five years ago. 

The mid-term congressional elections happen later in the year.  But the Republican National Committee is launching a six-figure ad campaign this week, with a chunk of the money going toward ads on cable.  And the spending comes as campaigns realize fewer people are tuning in, at least the way they used to. 

Plus, these days, it seems that every industry has a trade show.  The American Feed Industry Association met in Las Vegas last week. So did the American Membrane Technology Association. So it stands to reason there is a trade show for trade shows. A convention convention. It’s very meta. Six thousand people attended last year’s Exhibitor convention.