The U.S. Treasury Secretary concludes interviews for the next Fed chair candidate, with BlackRock's CIO performing "very well".

[The U.S. Treasury Secretary Ends Interviews for Next Fed Chair Candidates, BlackRock CIO Performs "Very Well"] According to the Financial Times, several insiders revealed that U.S. Treasury Secretary Basant concluded interviews with a long list of 11 candidates for the Fed Chair on Tuesday. Trump is seeking to replace current Chairman Powell. It is said that candidates were personally "grilled" by Basant, Treasury officials Hunter McMaster, and advisor Francis Browne during a two-hour interview. Some interviewees stated that Basant asked for their views on his recent article that called for comprehensive reforms of the Fed and criticized its quantitative easing program as a "functional gain monetary policy experiment." According to one insider, BlackRock's Global Chief Investment Officer Rick Rieder performed "very well." Basant has been tight-lipped about the entire process; in a recent interview with Fox Business Channel, he stated that he hopes to find someone who is "open-minded" and "forward-looking." ( Jin10 )