Since the start of the year, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and his colleagues had said they were looking for more assurance that inflation was ticking steadily down. Instead, they’ve gotten the opposite.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the economy’s strength means the Fed isn’t under pressure to cut rates and can wait to see how the inflation numbers come in.
A key question for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and the 18 other officials on the Fed’s interest-rate-setting committee is how—or whether—recent inflation figures have altered their timetable for cutting rates.
In his remarks to Congress on Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell offered no hints on the potential timing of rate cuts.
In minutes from the Jan. 30-31 meeting released Wednesday, most Fed officials said they were worried about moving too fast to cut their benchmark interest rate before it was clear that inflation was sustainably returning to their 2% target.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said in an interview broadcast Sunday night that the Federal Reserve remains on track to cut interest rates three times this year.
The Federal Reserve indicated Wednesday that it’s nearing a long-awaited shift toward cutting interest rates, a sign that its officials have grown confident that they’re close to fully taming inflation.
Officials “reaffirmed that it would be appropriate for policy to remain at a restrictive stance for some time until inflation was clearly moving down sustainably.”
The Fed’s quarterly economic projections showed that its officials envision a “soft landing” for the economy, in which inflation would continue its decline toward the central bank’s 2% target without causing a steep downturn.
When its latest policy meeting ends Wednesday, the Federal Reserve is likely to provide some highly anticipated hints about the extent of rate cuts next year.
Inflation is slowing steadily, but it’s too early to declare victory or to discuss when the Federal Reserve might cut interest rates, Chair Jerome Powell said in prepared remarks Friday.
At the same time, in a panel discussion at the International Monetary Fund, Powell did not rule out another rate hike to help reduce inflation to the Fed’s 2% target level.
Policymakers are grappling with how much more pressure to keep on an economy that has largely shrugged off the central bank’s moves to slow it down.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Thursday that inflation remains too high.
Federal Reserve officials regarded the U.S. economy’s outlook as particularly uncertain last month, according to minutes released Wednesday, and said they would “proceed carefully.”
Excluding volatile food and energy prices, “core” inflation rose by the smallest amount in nearly three years, evidence that inflation pressures continue to ease.
The Federal Reserve signaled one more hike was possible this year, as central bankers shift their focus toward how long they’ll keep rates high and when they’ll decide there has been enough progress on their inflation fight.
Further clues about the future path of the Fed’s interest rate policy could emerge at a news conference Wednesday after the central bank issues a policy statement and its quarterly economic projections.
Rising trade barriers, aging populations and broad transition to renewable energy are trends that could make it harder for the Federal Reserve and other central banks to meet their inflation targets.
In a closely watched speech at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the economy has been growing faster than expected and consumers are spending briskly—trends that could keep inflation pressures high.
