Fed Chair Powell (Q&A) reiterates Fed is committed to bringing inflation back down to 2% sustainably
Importance
Level 1
- Events keep happening which drive up costs; best thing the Fed can do is use tools to guide inflation back to target
- Getting to target quickly could be costly
- Fed must get it done over time, doing the least amount of damage
- Reiterates growth is solid; consumer spending is hanging in well
- Also notes insatiable appetite for data centres
- Unemployment rate is pretty close to natural rate
- Does not feel like a good labour market to some due to low quits and low highers with no new job creation
- It is an unusual, uncomfortable balance in the labour markets
- Inflation is the thing to work on; thinks tariff inflation should subside this year, should start happening soon
- Policy in a good place to hold and await developments