Obituaries★ Must Know

Alan Greenspan, longtime US Federal Reserve chairman, dies at 100

Monday, 22 June 2026 5 min readSource: CNBCArticle 3 of 9

Alan Greenspan, the influential economist who served as Chairman of the United States Federal Reserve for nearly two decades, died on Monday, June 22, 2026, at the age of 100. Nicknamed 'the Maestro', Greenspan led the US central bank across five terms from 1987 to 2006, appointed by four different presidents (Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush). He was celebrated for presiding over a long stretch of US economic growth and low inflation, and famously warned of 'irrational exuberance' in the markets in 1996. His legacy was later clouded by criticism that the Fed's easy-money policies under him contributed to the 2008 global financial crisis. His death was confirmed by his wife, journalist Andrea Mitchell.

Key Facts & Details

8 points

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Alan Greenspan, former US Federal Reserve Chairman, died on June 22, 2026, aged 100.
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He chaired the Fed for five terms (1987-2006), appointed by four presidents (Reagan, Bush Sr, Clinton, Bush Jr).
3
He was nicknamed 'the Maestro' and coined the phrase 'irrational exuberance' (1996).
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His tenure saw a long period of US growth and low inflation, but was later blamed for sowing seeds of the 2008 financial crisis.
5
The US Federal Reserve is the central bank of the United States; its chair is among the most powerful economic policymakers in the world.

Deep Dive

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Greenspan earlier chaired the Council of Economic Advisers under President Gerald Ford.
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His successors as Fed Chair include Ben Bernanke, Janet Yellen and Jerome Powell.
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The Federal Reserve sets US monetary policy, and its rate decisions have global ripple effects, including on India's markets and the rupee.

Exam Focus

Examiners may test the institution (US Federal Reserve), Greenspan's tenure (1987-2006), the number of presidents who appointed him (four) and his nickname ('the Maestro').

Exam Relevance & Angle

The death of a globally significant central banker is a high-profile international obituary; the US Federal Reserve, its role and its long-serving chair are recurring banking and economy GA topics.

Target Exams

SBI POIBPS PORBI Grade BNABARD Grade ASSC CGLUPSC CSEState PCS

Background & Context

The Federal Reserve System (the 'Fed') is the central bank of the United States, established in 1913. Its Chair, nominated by the US President and confirmed by the Senate, heads the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) that sets US interest rates. Alan Greenspan (born March 6, 1926) was the 13th Fed Chair and one of the longest-serving, in office from August 1987 to January 2006. A trained economist who also played jazz, he was widely credited with steering the US through episodes such as the 1987 stock-market crash and the late-1990s boom, earning the 'Maestro' tag. After the 2008 financial crisis, critics argued that prolonged low interest rates and light financial regulation during his tenure helped inflate the housing bubble. He was succeeded by Ben Bernanke.