Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell cautioned that persistently elevated inflation will likely delay any Fed rate cuts until later this year because “recent data have clearly not given us greater confidence” that price increases are under control
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell cautioned Tuesday that persistently elevated inflation will likely delay any Fed rate cuts until later this year because “recent data have clearly not given us greater confidence” that price increases are under control.
The Fed chair's comments suggested that without further evidence that inflation is falling, the central bank will likely carry out fewer than the three quarter-point reductions its officials had forecast during their most recent meeting in March.
Powell's comments followed a speech earlier Tuesday by Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson, who also appeared to raise the prospect that the Fed would would not carry out three cuts this year in its benchmark rate, which stands at a multi-decade high after 11 rate hikes beginning two years ago.
