Intel stock extends gains after report of possible U.S. government stake
Investing.com -- Chicago Federal Reserve President Austan Goolsbee said Wednesday the central bank is working to determine whether tariffs will cause temporary or persistent inflation, a key factor in deciding when to cut interest rates.
"As we go into the fall, these are going to be some live meetings and we’re going to have to figure it out," Goolsbee told the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce in Springfield, Illinois. "The hardest thing that a central bank ever has to do is to try to get the timing right when there are moments of transition."
Goolsbee expressed concern about assuming tariffs would only create a one-time inflation shock. He wants to review more economic data, including wholesale price figures due this week and broader inflation metrics next month, before deciding if a rate cut is appropriate.
The Fed maintained its benchmark overnight interest rate in the 4.25%-4.50% range at its last meeting. This decision faced opposition from Fed Vice Chair of Supervision Michelle Bowman and Fed Governor Christopher Waller, who supported cutting rates to address potential labor market weakness.
Two days after that policy meeting, the U.S. Labor Department significantly revised down its job growth estimates for May and June while reporting lower-than-expected job gains for July. President Donald Trump claimed the data was manipulated and dismissed the commissioner responsible for the report.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has used the recent jobs report to advocate for the rate cuts Trump has pushed for throughout the year. Some Fed officials believe the July employment data strengthens the case for easing monetary policy.
Goolsbee warned against overinterpreting slowing job growth, suggesting it might reflect reduced immigration rather than economic weakness. He emphasized that he places greater importance on indicators like the unemployment rate, which remains historically low at 4.2%.
"I think the state of the labor market is pretty strong, pretty solid," Goolsbee said.
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