Economics

Fed Vice Chair Jefferson advocates remaining cautious on rates as policy drama unfolds

Published

2 weeks ago

February 4, 2025

Philip Jefferson speaks during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Feb. 3, 2022. The U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to confirm Philip Jefferson, an economist and Davidson College’s dean of faculty, to the Federal Reserve Board.

Ken Cedeno | Bloomberg | Getty Images

EASTON, Pa. — Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said Tuesday the central bank should be careful how it adjusts interest rates amid an uncertain policy environment.

In broad terms, the Fed governor said he sees the economy strong with inflation easing back on a “bumpy” road to the central bank’s 2% goal and a labor market in a “solid position.”

However, Jefferson echoed recent statements from other officials that it’s in the Fed’s best interest to move slowly as it evaluates evolving conditions.

“As long as the economy and labor market remain strong, I see it as appropriate for the [Federal Open Market] Committee to be cautious in making further adjustments,” he said in remarks for a speech at Lafayette College.

“Over the medium term, I continue to see a gradual reduction in the level of monetary policy restraint placed on the economy as we move toward a more neutral stance as the most likely outcome,” Jefferson added. “That said, I do not think we need to be in a hurry to change our stance.”

The remarks come less than a week after the FOMC voted to hold its policy rate steady in a range between 4.25% to 4.5%, a decision with which Jefferson concurred. At the previous three meetings, the committee had cut the federal funds rate by a total 1 percentage point after hiking it rapidly to combat a surge in inflation.

Fed officials have refrained from commenting directly on policy clashes in Washington, but have expressed a level of trepidation about trying to prejudge events.

Principal among the current level of uncertainty is the impact that tariff negotiations between the U.S. and its primary trading partners will have. President Donald Trump has paused on duties against products from Canada and Mexico, but is locked in a tense battle with China.

“There is always a great deal of uncertainty around any economic forecast, and currently we face additional uncertainties about the exact shape of government policies, as well as their economic implications,” Jefferson said.

Over the past year, the Fed’s favored inflation gauge — the personal consumption expenditures price index — has edged lower. The rate increased 2.6% in December on a year-over-year basis, well off its peak but still ahead of the central bank’s 2% goal.

Jefferson said he expects inflation to continue to move lower, but hedged his outlook.

“In the current environment, I attach a high degree of uncertainty to my projections,” he said.

The policymaker added that he “could envision a range of scenarios for future policy” where “we can maintain policy restraint for longer” if inflation stays elevated, or one where the Fed could ease more if the labor market weakens.

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Economics

Germany’s election will usher in new leadership — but might not change its economy

Published

1 day ago

February 21, 2025

Business Finance News

Production at the VW plant in Emden.

Sina Schuldt | Picture Alliance | Getty Images

The struggling German economy has been a major talking point among critics of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’ government during the latest election campaign — but analysts warn a new leadership might not turn these tides.

As voters prepare to head to the polls, it is now all but certain that Germany will soon have a new chancellor. The Christian Democratic Union’s Friedrich Merz is the firm favorite.

Merz has not shied away from blasting Scholz’s economic policies and from linking them to the lackluster state of Europe’s largest economy. He argues that a government under his leadership would give the economy the boost it needs.

Experts speaking to CNBC were less sure.

“There is a high risk that Germany will get a refurbished economic model after the elections, but not a brand new model that makes the competition jealous,” Carsten Brzeski, global head of macro at ING, told CNBC.

The CDU/CSU economic agenda

The CDU, which on a federal level ties up with regional sister party the Christian Social Union, is running on a “typical economic conservative program,” Brzeski said.

It includes income and corporate tax cuts, fewer subsidies and less bureaucracy, changes to social benefits, deregulation, support for innovation, start-ups and artificial intelligence and boosting investment among other policies, according to CDU/CSU campaigners.

“The weak parts of the positions are that the CDU/CSU is not very precise on how it wants to increase investments in infrastructure, digitalization and education. The intention is there, but the details are not,” Brzeski said, noting that the union appears to be aiming to revive Germany’s economic model without fully overhauling it.

“It is still a reform program which pretends that change can happen without pain,” he said.

Geraldine Dany-Knedlik, head of forecasting at research institute DIW Berlin, noted that the CDU is also looking to reach gross domestic product growth of around 2% again through its fiscal and economic program called “Agenda 2030.”

But reaching such levels of economic expansion in Germany “seems unrealistic,” not just temporarily, but also in the long run, she told CNBC.

Germany’s GDP declined in both 2023 and 2024. Recent quarterly growth readings have also been teetering on the verge of a technical recession, which has so far been narrowly avoided. The German economy shrank by 0.2% in the fourth quarter, compared with the previous three-month stretch, according to the latest reading.

Europe’s largest economy faces pressure in key industries like the auto sector, issues with infrastructure like the country’s rail network and a housebuilding crisis.

Dany-Knedlik also flagged the so-called debt brake, a long-standing fiscal rule that is enshrined in Germany’s constitution, which limits the size of the structural budget deficit and how much debt the government can take on.

Whether or not the clause should be overhauled has been a big part of the fiscal debate ahead of the election. While the CDU ideally does not want to change the debt brake, Merz has said that he may be open to some reform.

“To increase growth prospects substantially without increasing debt also seems rather unlikely,” DIW’s Dany-Knedlik said, adding that, if public investments were to rise within the limits of the debt brake, significant tax increases would be unavoidable.

“Taking into account that a 2 Percent growth target is to be reached within a 4 year legislation period, the Agenda 2030 in combination with conservatives attitude towards the debt break to me reads more of a wish list than a straight forward economic growth program,” she said.

Change in German government will deliver economic success, says CEO of German employers association

Franziska Palmas, senior Europe economist at Capital Economics, sees some benefits to the plans of the CDU-CSU union, saying they would likely “be positive” for the economy, but warning that the resulting boost would be small.

“Tax cuts would support consumer spending and private investment, but weak sentiment means consumers may save a significant share of their additional after-tax income and firms may be reluctant to invest,” she told CNBC.

Palmas nevertheless pointed out that not everyone would come away a winner from the new policies. Income tax cuts would benefit middle- and higher-income households more than those with a lower income, who would also be affected by potential reductions of social benefits.

Coalition talks ahead

Following the Sunday election, the CDU/CSU will almost certainly be left to find a coalition partner to form a majority government, with the Social Democratic Party or the Green party emerging as the likeliest candidates.

The parties will need to broker a coalition agreement outlining their joint goals, including on the economy — which could prove to be a difficult undertaking, Capital Economics’ Palmas said.

“The CDU and the SPD and Greens have significantly different economic policy positions,” she said, pointing to discrepancies over taxes and regulation. While the CDU/CSU want to reduce both items, the SPD and Greens seek to raise taxes and oppose deregulation in at least some areas, Palmas explained.

The group is nevertheless likely to hold the power in any potential negotiations as it will likely have their choice between partnering with the SPD or Greens.

“Accordingly, we suspect that the coalition agreement will include most of the CDU’s main economic proposals,” she said.