Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

CFO Outlook: Steady Overall but Weaker for Small and Financially Constrained Firms

Tom Barkin: Why Hike?

Fifth District Manufacturing Activity Edged Down In September

Fifth District Non-Manufacturing Activity Was Flat in September

"It is a really unusual environment. We did not have a recession. We did not have a big spike in layoffs. But we do have a low job finding rate, and declining at that. This is what sometimes people describe as the ‘low hire, low fire’ environment."

Claudia Macaluso

Senior Research Economist

Speaking of the Economy Podcast, The Rise in Long-Term Unemployment, September 2, 2026

Listen to the episode >

Events Calendar

Sept. 25, 2026

Exploring Economics: From Classroom to Career

9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Richmond Office
Richmond, VA

Sept. 30, 2026

2026 Investing in Rural America Conference

Omni Grove Park Inn
Asheville, NC

Oct. 7, 2026

District Dialogues: How Is the Economy, Really?

8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. ET

Richmond Office
Richmond, VA and Virtual

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Who We Are and What We Do

As a regional Reserve Bank, the Richmond Fed works to strengthen the economy and the Fifth District communities we serve by helping to carry out the day-to-day operations of the Fed. Here's how we do it:

Help Keep Banks Safe and Sound

We help make sure banks in our district follow applicable laws and regulations.

Keep Cash and Payments Flowing

We help keep the country’s electronic payment system running and make sure banks have enough cash and coin to do business.

Represent the Regional Economy

We represent our region in national monetary policy discussions that aim to keep prices and employment stable.

Engage in Our Local Communities

We listen and learn from regional voices, and we provide economic education and community development resources in support of a stronger economy for all.

Contribute Specialized Knowledge

We share our unique expertise with the Federal Reserve System, like the work we do to understand and uplift the economies of rural areas and small towns.

By the Numbers

of Fifth District counties are classified as rural (2 out of 3), all of which can benefit from the Center for Rural Economies and the Rural Investment Collaborative.

Learn more about our rural resources