Greenspan led the U.S. central bank for 19 years, shaping monetary policy through economic booms and busts until 2006.
Alan Greenspan, the Federal Reserve’s longest-serving chairman after William McChesney Martin, has died at 100. His 19-year tenure spanned four presidencies, beginning in 1987 under Ronald Reagan and ending in 2006. Greenspan’s leadership navigated multiple economic cycles, including the 1987 stock market crash and the late-1990s tech boom.
Known for his enigmatic communication style, dubbed “Fedspeak,” Greenspan often left markets parsing his ambiguous statements. His 1996 remark about “irrational exuberance” in asset values became iconic, briefly unsettling financial markets. Despite criticism for policies linked to the 2008 financial crisis, his influence on modern central banking remains significant.
Greenspan’s death was confirmed by his wife, Andrea Mitchell, citing complications from Parkinson’s Disease. No immediate market reaction was reported.