MacroScope

As the Fed ponders providing another round of stimulus to a weak U.S. economy, it is difficult to keep track of the views of individual central bank officials. This newly-updated hawks-doves chart should help cut through the clutter. One good rule of thumb: keep a close eye on Ben Bernanke. The Fed Chairman is highly respected by his colleagues and his views usually carry the day.

*Update: here’s another interactive graphic focused on just the 10 current voting members on the Fed’s policy-setting panel.

Ben Broadbent’s appointment to the Monetary Policy Committee ought to dispel any notions that the Bank of England would be left short of hawks after the departure of Andrew Sentance.

A brief look at the history of Reuters polls shows that Goldman Sachs’ UK economists – led by Broadbent – were uber-hawkish in their outlook for British interest rates early last year.

In January 2010, Goldman predicted rates would rise to 1.5 percent by end of the second quarter of last year, and 2.5 percent going into 2011 — hugely out of step with both the consensus and as it turned out, reality. Rates went nowhere last year, and are still at a record low of 0.5 percent.