Inflation is finally coming down, but Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that the U.S. economy is not out of the woods yet.
In a question-and-answer session at the Economic Club of Washington, DC, the nation's top banker said that he expects the process to take some time.
“The disinflationary process, the process of getting inflation down, has begun and it’s begun in the goods sector, which is about a quarter of our economy,” he said. “But it has a long way to go. These are the very early stages.”
The comments track with Powell's previous statements that goods inflation is only part of the run-up in prices, and that services are now one of the biggest drivers of inflation.
Despite Powell sticking to his guns that inflation could be here for a while, stocks got a bump on Tuesday following the comments. Many investors appear to be holding out hope that the Fed will soon pull back on rate hikes, which would give equity markets some room to breathe.
Powell, for his part, stressed that it will likely take another full year for inflation to be brought under control. “We expect 2023 to be a year of significant declines in inflation. It’s actually our job to make sure that that’s the case,” he said.
Still, the Fed has already started moderating its stance. Earlier this month, the Fed announced a 25-basis-point hike, down from 50 basis points enacted at its previous meeting.
Elizabeth Renter, Senior Economist at NerdWallet, breaks down how inflation and oil price shocks are driving higher costs and squeezing consumers today.
David Branch of Wells Fargo explains why cocoa prices are falling but some candy costs remain high and when consumers may finally see relief at checkout.
Colonel Chris Hadfield, astronaut and best-selling author, breaks down Artemis II and why NASA’s next crewed mission is key to returning humans to the Moon.
Ben Geman, Energy Reporter at Axios, explains how the Iran war could reshape global energy—disrupting supply, shifting power, and accelerating a new regime.
Emily Peck, National Correspondent at Axios, explains why office vacancies hit 21% despite RTO pushes, highlighting a lasting shift in how Americans work.
Tobias Bauer, CEO & President of Rolling Stock at Siemens Mobility North America, shares insights on a $220M investment reshaping U.S. rail infrastructure.
