Recession Fears Have Been ‘Blown Out of the Water,’ Long-Serving Fed President Says
Former St. Louis Fed chief James Bullard warns that stronger economic growth in the US may necessitate higher interest rates to combat inflation.
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The U.S. economy is forecasted to be growing rapidly, which is causing concern for the Federal Reserve and those hoping for low interest rates.
The US economy has exceeded the Federal Reserve's estimate of its growth potential in recent years, with growth averaging 3% under President Joe Biden, but concerns about rising public debt and inflation, as well as the Fed's efforts to control them, may lead to slower growth in the future and potentially a recession. However, there are hints of improving productivity that could support continued economic growth.
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.
The US Federal Reserve must consider the possibility of the economy reaccelerating rather than slowing, which could have implications for its inflation fight, according to Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin. He noted that retail sales were stronger than expected and consumer confidence is rising, potentially leading to higher inflation and a need for further tightening of monetary policy.
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Patrick Harker does not believe that the U.S. central bank will need to increase interest rates again and suggests holding steady to see how the economy responds, stating that the current restrictive stance should bring inflation down.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warns that additional interest rate increases could be necessary in the fight against inflation, stating that although progress has been made, inflation remains too high and the Fed will hold policy at a restrictive level until it is confident that inflation is moving sustainably down towards their goal.
Hiking interest rates can discourage innovation and curtail long-term economic growth potential, according to a study presented at the Federal Reserve's annual conference. A percentage point increase in interest rates could lead to a 5% reduction in economic output, suggesting the need for increased government funding for innovation to offset rate increases. Higher interest rates make borrowing more expensive, reducing consumer and business demand and hindering the development of new offerings and efficiency-increasing innovations. Additionally, research and development spending, venture capital investment, and patents all decline with rising interest rates. However, the study does not advocate for refraining from raising rates if needed to control inflation.
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%.
U.S. economic growth, outpacing other countries, may pose global risks if the Federal Reserve is forced to raise interest rates higher than expected, potentially leading to financial tightening and ripple effects in emerging markets.
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.
Former White House economist Kevin Hassett predicts that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates again due to increasing inflation and energy prices.
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.
The U.S. economy has shown unexpected strength, with a resilient labor market and cooling inflation improving the odds of avoiding a recession and achieving a soft landing, but the full effects of rising interest rates may take time to filter through the economy.
The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge increased slightly in July, suggesting that the fight against inflation may be challenging, but the absence of worse news indicates that officials are likely to maintain interest rates.
The U.S. is currently experiencing a prolonged high inflation cycle that is causing significant damage to the purchasing power of the currency, and the recent lower inflation rate is misleading as it ignores the accumulated harm; in order to combat this cycle, the Federal Reserve needs to raise interest rates higher than the inflation rate and reverse its bond purchases.
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem suggests that interest rates may not be high enough to bring inflation back down to target, emphasizing the need for further restrictive monetary policy to restore price stability.
Deutsche Bank strategists warn that the U.S. economy has a greater chance of entering a recession within the next year due to high inflation and the Federal Reserve's aggressive interest rate hike campaign.
Economists at the Chicago Fed argue that recent rate increases have brought inflation on a path to 2% without causing a recession, creating a "goldilocks" scenario for risk-taking in financial markets.
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.
Stronger-than-expected U.S. economic data, including a rise in producer prices and retail sales, has sparked concerns about sticky inflation and has reinforced the belief that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates higher for longer.
The Federal Reserve faces a critical decision at the end of the year that could determine whether the US economy suffers or inflation exceeds target levels, according to economist Mohamed El-Erian. He suggests the central bank must choose between tolerating inflation at 3% or higher, or risking a downturn in the economy.
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.
The Federal Reserve's continued message of higher interest rates is expected to impact Treasury yields and the U.S. dollar, with the 10-year Treasury yield predicted to experience a slight increase and the U.S. dollar expected to edge higher.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen states that U.S. growth needs to slow to its potential rate in order to bring inflation back to target levels, as the robust economy has been growing above potential since emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. Yellen also expects China to use its fiscal and monetary policy space to avoid a major economic slowdown and minimize spillover effects on the U.S. economy.
The U.S. Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady but left room for potential rate hikes, as they see progress in fighting inflation and aim to bring it down to the target level of 2 percent; however, officials projected a higher growth rate of 2.1 percent for this year and suggested that core inflation will hit 3.7 percent this year before falling in 2024 and reaching the target range by 2026.
Central banks, including the US Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, and Bank of England, have pledged to maintain higher interest rates for an extended period to combat inflation and achieve global economic stability, despite concerns about the strength of the Chinese economy and geopolitical tensions.