Lates News

"Fed Whisperer" Nick Timiraos' latest article: Federal Reserve Chairman Powell said that even after last week's rate cut, he still believes the Fed's rate stance is "still slightly tight." This means that if officials continue to judge that recent labor market weakness outweighs inflation setbacks, there is still more room for rate cuts this year. Powell broadly reiterated his views at last week's press conference after the rate cut. He emphasized the challenges the Fed faces in achieving both low inflation stability and promoting a healthy labor market. Powell said, "Two-way risks mean there is no risk-free path: cutting rates too much, too quickly could push inflation closer to 3% rather than the Fed's 2% target, while maintaining a restrictive policy stance for too long could unnecessarily weaken the labor market." Powell also reiterated his view that the slowdown in summer job growth this year made last week's policy shift necessary to focus more on the labor market than earlier this year. The slightly tight rate setting puts the Fed in a favorable position to address potential economic developments.