Fed Chair Jerome Powell reiterated his recent messages in a speech in New York today. He noted that “nearly all job market indicators are better than a few years ago, and many are at their most favorable levels in decades.” Business-sector productivity growth also “moved up in the first three quarters of 2018.” Price stability side of Fed’s mandate is “in a good place” as “inflation by our preferred measure averaged roughly 2 percent last year” but “signs of upward pressure on inflation appear muted despite the strong labor market”.
Powell also noted again that “over the past few months we have seen some crosscurrents and conflicting signals about the near-term outlook.” Those include slowdown in major economies, particularly China and Europe. There is elevated uncertainty around unresolved government policy issues including Brexit and trade negotiations. Financial markets conditions have tightened since last fall. Also, “some surveys of business and consumer sentiment have moved lower. Unexpectedly weak retail sales data for December also give reason for caution.”
All in all, Fed will be “patient as we determine what future adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate”. He also added that “common-sense risk-management approach has served the Committee well in the past.”
