Gold prices edge lower; heading for weekly losses ahead of U.S.-Russia talks
Investing.com-- Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said on Thursday that he continued to call for the central bank to cut interest rates by end-July, citing growing risks to the economy and limited inflationary risks from trade tariffs.
Waller made the comments in remarks prepared for a gathering of Money Marketeers of New York University, stating that the Fed needed to bring its policy into neutral territory, instead of keeping it restrictive.
Waller also warned that he saw signs of strain in the labor market, furthering the case for lower interest rates.
“It makes sense to cut the FOMC’s policy rate by 25 basis points two weeks from now,” Waller said.
“I see the hard and soft data on economic activity and the labor market as consistent: The economy is still growing, but its momentum has slowed significantly, and the risks to the FOMC’s employment mandate have increased.”
Waller said that the inflationary effects of President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs were likely to be a one-time event that policymakers could look through.
“Tariff increases are a one-time boost to prices that do not sustainably increase inflation… central bankers should—and, in fact, do—look through price-level shocks to avoid needlessly tightening policy in times like these and damaging the economy.”
Waller’s comments come just before Fed officials enter a two-week media blackout period before the central bank’s upcoming meeting. The Fed governor is an outlier among members of the central bank, most of which have expressed caution over cutting interest rates.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that rates will not fall until the inflation effect of Trump’s tariffs becomes clear.
But Trump has repeatedly called on Powell to cut rates, even engaging in personal attacks against the Fed chair.
Speculation over Trump prematurely firing Powell grew drastically this week, although Trump denied that he intended to do so.