Powell Says Fed Will ‘Proceed Carefully’ on Further Rate Rises
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell suggests that raising interest rates may be necessary if the economy does not slow down and inflation continues to rise.
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Posted 8/25/2023, 10:31:00 PM
wsj.com
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Experts are divided on whether the US Federal Reserve should raise its interest rate target to 3% to combat inflation and cushion against recessions, with some arguing that raising inflation targets would be futile.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will likely provide updates on the central bank's stance on interest rates in the US during the Jackson Hole meeting, although an announcement regarding the end of interest rate hikes is less likely due to positive economic data and the potential risk of triggering another crisis.
Investors are expecting Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to take a hawkish tone on interest rate policy in his upcoming speech, as the US economy continues to perform well and inflation remains elevated.
Two Federal Reserve officials suggest that interest-rate increases may be coming to an end, but one of them believes that further hikes may still be necessary depending on inflation trends.
Boston Federal Reserve President Susan Collins stated that the central bank may require additional interest rate hikes and will likely maintain elevated rates for an extended period, even if no further increases occur in the near future.
Two officials at the Federal Reserve have expressed differing views on whether or not the central bank should raise its benchmark interest rate again to combat inflation, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding future rate hikes, with more clarity expected from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's upcoming speech at a Fed conference in Jackson Hole.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is expected to signal in his upcoming speech that the Fed plans to maintain its benchmark interest rate at a peak level for a longer period than anticipated, suggesting that any rate cuts are unlikely until well into next year, as the central bank aims to further slow borrowing and spending to reduce inflation.
U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell stated that restrictive monetary policy will continue until inflation slows, and the central bank is prepared to raise rates cautiously; the price of Bitcoin briefly dipped before recovering, while traditional markets saw modest gains.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that the fight against inflation still has a long way to go, emphasizing the need for extended periods of elevated interest rates to restore price stability. Powell stated that although inflation has cooled, the improvement may be temporary, and the Fed is committed to lowering inflation to their 2% target.
The president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia believes that the US central bank has already raised interest rates enough to bring inflation down to pre-pandemic levels of around 2%.
Traders interpret Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's speech as an indication that the Fed will continue to raise interest rates and that the US economy remains strong.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell addressed the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium and discussed the potential risks of raising interest rates too high in order to combat inflation, stating that there could be "unfortunate costs" if the Fed's actions are excessive.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signaled at a conference of central bankers that more rate hikes could be on the way as the economy continues to run hot, despite a series of policy tightening measures, in an effort to combat persistent inflation.
Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester believes that beating inflation will likely require one more interest-rate hike in the U.S. and then pausing for a while, although she may reassess her previous view of rate cuts starting in late 2024, and she aims to set policy so that inflation reaches the Fed's 2% goal by the end of 2025 to prevent further economic harm.
The Bank of England may have to increase interest rates if the US Federal Reserve decides to raise rates to cut inflation, in order to prevent the pound from weakening and inflation from rising further.
Top central bankers, including Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, emphasized the importance of keeping interest rates high until inflation is under control while also grappling with economic challenges and uncertainties at the annual Federal Reserve gathering in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
The Federal Reserve is considering raising interest rates again in order to reduce inflation to its targeted levels, as indicated by Fed Governor Michelle W. Bowman, who stated that additional rate increases will likely be needed; however, conflicting economic indicators, such as job growth and wage growth, may complicate the decision-making process.
The former president of the Boston Fed suggests that the Federal Reserve can stop raising interest rates if the labor market and economic growth continue to slow at the current pace.
Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Raphael Bostic argues against further U.S. interest rate hikes, stating that current monetary policy is already tight enough to bring inflation back down to 2% over a reasonable period and cautioning against the risk of tightening too much.
Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Lorie Logan believes that while it may be appropriate to skip an interest-rate increase at the upcoming meeting, further policy tightening will likely be necessary to bring inflation down to 2% in a timely manner.
Federal Reserve policymakers are not eager to raise interest rates, but they are cautious about declaring victory as they monitor data such as inflation and job growth; most do not expect a rate hike at the upcoming policy-setting meeting.
Rising energy costs are predicted to contribute to an increase in inflation rate, but it is unlikely to prompt the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates, though there may be another rate hike in the future.
Economist Campbell Harvey warns that the Federal Reserve should not raise rates later this year, as he believes a recession may occur in 2024 due to an inverted yield curve and potential distortions in Bureau of Labor Statistics and GDP figures.
New research suggests that elevated interest rates may not have been the main cause of the decline in inflation, sparking a debate about whether the Federal Reserve needs to raise rates again.
Goldman Sachs strategists predict that the Federal Reserve is unlikely to raise interest rates at its upcoming meeting, but expect the central bank to increase its economic growth projections and make slight adjustments to its interest rate projections.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell faces the challenge of managing market expectations of interest rate hikes and addressing rising energy costs leading to inflation, while also leaving room for rate cuts if necessary.
The Federal Reserve's decision to raise interest rates will continue to burden borrowers with higher bills on credit cards, student loans, car loans, and mortgages, while savers are rewarded with higher rates on savings accounts and certificates of deposit.
The Federal Reserve is leaving its key interest rate unchanged as it moderates its fight against inflation, but plans to raise rates once more this year, as policymakers remain concerned about inflation not falling fast enough.
Federal Reserve policymakers Governor Michelle Bowman and Boston Fed President Susan Collins expressed the need to keep interest rates elevated to combat inflation, with Bowman suggesting further rate hikes will likely be needed to bring inflation down to the Fed's 2% target and Collins stating that further tightening is not off the table as progress in battling inflation has been slow.
Two former Federal Reserve policymakers disagree on whether the central bank should raise interest rates, with one saying rates have likely peaked and the other saying they need to be raised further, but both agree that achieving a soft landing for the economy is unlikely.