Interest Rates

Speaking to the House Financial Services Committee, Powell said interest rates will stay put until Fed officials better understand the impact of tariffs on the economy.

His answers in hearings tomorrow and Wednesday may indicate what he’s thinking around interest rate reductions and loosening bank regulations.

“Uncertainty about the economic outlook has diminished but remains elevated.”

“The economy is in a lot of flux, policy is in flux, there’s a lot of uncertainty. I think we’ll have to wait three to six months to start to see where this settles out.”

Referring to yesterday’s inflation report and calling the Fed chair “Too Late Powell,” the president said on social media that waiting to understand tariffs’ effect on prices is “not fair to America.”

Muted U.S. inflation suggests companies are feeling little urgency so far to pass along the cost of tariffs to consumers.