St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard told CNBC, “I’d support starting the taper in November.” He added, “I’ve been advocating trying to get finished with the taper process by the end of the first quarter next year because I want to be in a position to react to possible upside risks to inflation next year as we try to move out of this pandemic.”
But he also emphasized “there’s no reason for us to commit one way or another at this point,” regarding interest rate hike. “I just want to be in a position in case we have to move sooner that we’re able to do so next year in the spring or summer if we have to do so.”
He noted that a supply shock alone cannot cause inflation”. But, “a supply shock being accommodated by very easy monetary policy, it’s those two things that lead to the inflation.” Yet, he’s not concerned with the risk of a 1970s-style stagflation since “the probability of recession is exceptionally low at this point.”
