Fed's Bostic (2024 voter) says there is "still a ways to go" on inflation even though the Fed has made tremendous progress; expects inflation to come down slowly and unevenly
Important
SourceNewsquawk
SectionFed
- Pandemic policies left families and businesses in much stronger position; able to absorb restrictive policy.
- Expects tight labour market to continue moving forward.
- Paying a lot of attention to three and six-month inflation figures, they are coming down.
- Wages have been a trailing indicator and a way to retain workers.
- Do have to keep an eye out to ensure output does not become too weak.
- Businesses and employers still see economy as strong, with robust demand.
- Fed is in a good place with a pathway to fixing inflation without much labour pain.
- Businesses increasingly saying they do not have the same pricing power as early in the pandemic.
- Fed is not going to jump at the first data point.
- Policy will need to be resolute and patient.
- Sentiment about the economy may become more positive if wage gains continue to outpace inflation; eases the "sticker shock" of inflation.
- Market's response to the Fed has been "interesting", will have to watch how it plays out.
- Budgetary trade-offs will become "more acute" due to higher debt servicing costs.
- Now is not the time to consider changing the inflation goal, but nothing should be etched in stone.
- No one should think 2% is the only number the Fed could have for inflation, but will keep it until price stability is restored.
- Fed cannot wait to get to 2% inflation to cut rates or it will "overshoot", that is the strategy behind rate cuts.
- Reiterates view of two rate cuts in 2024.
- There "is not going to be urgency" to back away from restrictive policy stance.