Fed Governor Waller said he thought he would be dissenting after the last jobs report, but Iran conflict changed things; now expects labour force growth to be close to zero, which changes the breakeven level of job growth
Importance
Level 1
- Closure of Hormuz has suggested more inflation pressure.
- Brain understands the jobs math, but his gut can't say if its okay.
- If oil stays high for months, at some point it bleeds into core inflation.
- High and persistent oil shock would not have a transitory impact on inflation.
- Fed cannot look through a large and persistent oil shock. At this point, caution for the Fed is warranted.
- Wants to wait and see how this evolves before deciding on rate cuts for later this year.
- Would advocate for cuts again late in the year if labour market is weak.
- Fed is making progress on taming structural inflation, which may be close to 2% now but it is held higher by tariffs.
- Does not think there is a need to consider rate hikes.
- Markets have not shows any unanchoring of inflation expectations. Investors understand inflation will drop as tariffs roll off.
- Wants to observe how economy changed before making decision on rate cuts later this year.
- If tariff effects do not roll off by H2, it will be tricky.
- A shock of the right sort could push companies to start cutting labor.
- Consumer outlook could also be damaged with gas prices climbing.
- No reason to make bank reserves scarce just to reduce the balance sheet.
- Proposals to change demand for reserves, and allowing the balance sheet to shrink is a good topic for study and discussion.
- If there are losses in private credit it is a bunch of firms and rich people.
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