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Inflation Dropping but Fed Weighs Interest Rate Hike as Unemployment Rises Slightly

  • Inflation rate has been dropping for 13 months except for a bump in July.

  • Yellen said "every measure of inflation is on the road down."

  • Fed will decide whether to raise interest rates later this month to knock inflation down to 2% target.

  • Unemployment rate rose to 3.8% in August, labor force participation rate increased 0.2%.

  • Yellen predicts no recession after attending G20 summit in India with President Biden.

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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.
The U.S. economy continues to grow above-trend, consumer spending remains strong, and the labor market is tight; however, there are concerns about inflation and rising interest rates which could impact the economy and consumer balance sheets, leading to a gradual softening of the labor market.
Despite optimistic economic data and the belief that a recession has been avoided, some economists and analysts believe that a recession is still on the horizon due to factors such as the impact of interest rate hikes and lagged effects of inflation and tighter lending standards.
The Federal Reserve faces new questions as the U.S. economy continues to perform well despite high interest rates, prompting economists to believe a "soft landing" is possible, with optimism rising for an acceleration of growth and a more sustainable post-pandemic economy.
The US economy continues to perform well despite the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes, leading to questions about whether rates need to be higher and more prolonged to cool inflation and slow growth.
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 Chair Jerome Powell stated that inflation remains too high and the central bank is prepared to raise rates further if necessary, although he did not suggest a tougher stance, leading to the possibility that the Fed may not increase its benchmark target range. However, economists argue that the Fed's current policy is already too tight and the tightening of credit may lead to a recession.
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 U.S. economy is defying expectations with continued growth, falling inflation, and a strong stock market; however, there is uncertainty about the near-term outlook and it depends on the economy's future course and the actions of the Federal Reserve.
Market jitters persist despite economists downplaying the chances of a recession, as global stocks and US futures remain in the red and inflation fears continue to linger.
Despite recent optimism around the U.S. economy, Deutsche Bank analysts believe that a recession is more likely than a "soft landing" as the Federal Reserve tightens monetary conditions to curb inflation.
Despite positive economic growth and low unemployment rates, several major indicators suggest that the American economy under President Joe Biden is heading towards a recession, with high government deficit numbers indicating possible overspending to prevent a recession before the 2024 election.
The US Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, expressed concerns about China's economic challenges and its potential impact on the global economy, while also noting that China has the policy tools to address these challenges.
The US economy is facing a looming recession, with weakness in certain sectors, but investors should not expect a significant number of interest-rate cuts next year, according to Liz Ann Sonders, the chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab. She points out that leading indicators have severely deteriorated, indicating trouble ahead, and predicts a full-blown recession as the most likely outcome. Despite this, the stock market has been defying rate increases and performing well.
Fundstrat's Tom Lee believes that the US economy is poised for expansion rather than recession, citing positive indicators such as a strong job market, dropping inflation expectations, falling rent prices, Janet Yellen's optimism, and reduced stock market volatility.
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon believes the U.S. economy is unlikely to experience a significant recession, but warns that inflation will be more persistent than anticipated.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Goldman Sachs may be optimistic about a "soft landing" scenario for the US economy, but the author remains skeptical due to factors such as a deeply inverted yield curve, declining Leading Economic Indicators, challenges faced by the consumer, global growth concerns, and the lagging impact of the Fed's monetary policy, leading them to maintain a conservative portfolio allocation.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sees no signs of an economic downturn but warns that failure to pass legislation to keep the government running could slow economic momentum.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen believes that despite the national debt nearing $33 trillion, the federal government's debt burden remains under control due to the net interest as a share of GDP remaining at a reasonable level. However, critics warn of the potential risks of a growing debt and credit bubble. Additionally, Yellen hopes for a quick resolution to the United Auto Workers' strike, stating that the economy remains strong overall.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen acknowledges a "disconnect" between Americans' negative views on President Biden's handling of the economy and the actual performance of the economy, but predicts that sentiment will improve as the effects of administration legislation and policies become evident.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen believes the U.S. economy is on a path of sustainable growth and can withstand near-term risks, including a potential government shutdown, a United Auto Workers strike, student loan repayments, and spillovers from China's economic challenges. Yellen emphasized the importance of addressing these headwinds while maintaining a strong labor market and consumer spending. She also expressed the Biden administration's intention to de-risk supply chains that overly depend on China without seeking to decouple entirely from the Chinese economy.
The upcoming U.S. Federal Reserve meeting is generating less attention than usual, indicating that the Fed's job of pursuing maximum employment and price stability is seen as successful, with labor market data and inflation trends supporting this view.
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 Federal Reserve is expected to keep its benchmark lending rate steady as it waits for more data on the US economy, and new economic projections suggest stronger growth and lower unemployment; however, inflation remains a concern, leaving the possibility open for another rate increase in the future.
The Federal Reserve has paused raising interest rates and projects that the US will not experience a recession until at least 2027, citing improvement in the economy and a "very smooth landing," though there are still potential risks such as surging oil prices, an auto worker strike, and the threat of a government shutdown.
The U.S. economy is facing uncertainty and conflicting estimates, with regional Fed estimates showing significant divergence and risks of economic contraction or slow growth, while factors such as health insurance costs, wage growth, home prices, and rising gas and commodity prices could potentially cause inflation to rebound. Moreover, there are still risks and challenges ahead, making declarations of victory premature, according to Larry Summers.
The US economy has triggered the fourth and final signal for a potential recession, and historical data suggests that recessions will become more frequent in the future due to government interventions and other factors such as inflation, tightening monetary policy, oil price spikes, and tight government budgets.
The US economy is currently in decent shape, with a resilient labor market, moderated inflation, and expected strong GDP growth, but there are potential headwinds and uncertainties ahead, including UAW strikes, student debt payments resuming, and the risk of a government shutdown, which could collectively have a significant impact on the economy. Additionally, the labor market is slowing down, inflation remains a concern, and the actions of the Federal Reserve and other factors could influence the economic outlook. While there are reasons for optimism, there are also risks to consider.
There are four risks that could potentially push the US economy into a recession sooner rather than later, including a weakening labor market, headwinds for the consumer, high borrowing rates, and the rising chances of a government shutdown, according to Raymond James.
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan believes that the Federal Reserve has successfully tamed inflation but warns that factors like the strength of US consumers may lead to higher interest rates; however, Moynihan expects the US to avoid a recession and experience slow GDP growth in the coming quarters.
White House economic adviser Jared Bernstein warns that the US economy faces challenges from a possible government shutdown, student debt payments restarting, higher interest rates, and an autoworkers' strike. However, he believes that as long as there are no policy mistakes or external shocks, the economy will continue to perform well.
A recession is highly likely in the US and investors should prepare for it by adopting a defensive strategy, according to the CEO of the TCW Group, Katie Koch, who believes that the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes will start to have an impact and expects consumers and companies to struggle in this environment.
Deutsche Bank's economists are still predicting a US recession despite the ongoing resilience of the economy, pointing to rapidly rising interest rates, surging inflation, an inverted yield curve, and oil price shocks as the four key triggers that historically have caused recessions and are currently happening.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warns that a potential government shutdown would harm economic progress, impacting key programs for small businesses and children and delaying infrastructure improvements.
The US economy may be on the brink of a recession due to a combination of factors including the impact of Fed hikes, auto strikes, student loan repayments, higher oil prices, and a global economic slowdown.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen expresses cautious optimism about the potential of AI to boost productivity while emphasizing the importance of U.S. investment in other areas, highlighting the impact of recent spending bills. She also discusses the economic outlook, fiscal responsibility, interest rates, and the need for derisking in the U.S.-China relationship.
The U.S. labor market's strength may be at risk as the Federal Reserve's projected interest rate hikes could lead to a slowdown and increased consumer debt, potentially pushing the economy towards a recession.
Falling bond prices in the US, resulting in higher Treasury yields, suggest that a recession might be approaching, according to investor Jeff Gundlach, who is closely watching the upcoming jobs report for further signs.
Falling U.S. bond prices and the rapid normalization of the Treasury yield curve are signaling that a recession may be imminent, according to DoubleLine Capital founder Jeff Gundlach, who will be closely monitoring the September jobs report for further clues.