MNI BRIEF: Fed Balance Sheet +$84B to Record High $7.79T

The Fed's balance sheet climbed USD84 billion over the last week to a record USD7.79 trillion, data released Thursday showed.

Total balance sheet asset increases were driven by a USD64 billion increase in MBS, which was on top of USD15 billion in increased holdings of Treasuries. MNI reported earlier this week that current and former Fed officials are increasingly focused on the lack of a clear exit path of QE as the economy improves more rapidly than previously thought.

On the liability side of the central bank's balance sheet, reserve balances held at the Fed held roughly steady at USD3.93 trillion, as usage of the overnight reverse repo facility moved up USD15 billion on the week to USD51 billion.