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Fed’s Waller ‘leaning toward’ a rate cut, but worries about inflation

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Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller speaks during The Clearing House Annual Conference in New York City, U.S. November 12, 2024. 

Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said Monday he is anticipating an interest rate cut in December but is concerned about recent trends on inflation that could change his mind.

“Based on the economic data in hand today and forecasts that show that inflation will continue on its downward path to 2 percent over the medium term, at present I lean toward supporting a cut to the policy rate at our December meeting,” Waller said in remarks before a monetary policy forum in Washington.

However, he noted that the “decision will depend on whether data that we will receive before then surprises to the upside and alters my forecast for the path of inflation.”

Waller cited recent data indicating that progress on inflation may be “stalling.”

In October, the Fed’s preferred inflation indicator, the personal consumption expenditures price index, showed headline inflation moving up to 2.3% annually and core prices, which exclude the cost of food and energy, moving up to 2.8%. The Fed targets a 2% rate.

Though the data was in line with Wall Street expectations, it showed an increase from the prior month and was evidence that despite the progress, the central bank’s goal has proved elusive.

“Overall, I feel like an MMA fighter who keeps getting inflation in a choke hold, waiting for it to tap out yet it keeps slipping out of my grasp at the last minute,” Waller said, referring to mixed martial arts. “But let me assure you that submission is inevitable — inflation isn’t getting out of the octagon.”

Markets expect the Fed to lop another quarter percentage point off its benchmark overnight borrowing rate when it meets Dec. 17-18. That would follow a half-point cut in September and a quarter-point reduction in November.

“As of today, I am leaning toward continuing the work we have started in returning monetary policy to a more neutral setting,” Waller said.

Waller said he will watch incoming employment and inflation data closely. The Bureau of Labor Statistics this week will release reports on job openings and nonfarm payrolls, the latter coming after gains in October came in at a paltry 12,000, due largely to labor strikes and weather issues.

Even with the slowing progress on inflation, Waller said broader economic health has him feeling like it will be appropriate to continue to ease monetary policy.

“After we cut by 75 basis points, I believe the evidence is strong that policy continues to be significantly restrictive and that cutting again will only mean that we aren’t pressing on the brake pedal quite as hard,” he said.

Economics

CEO recession expectations decline from April scare, survey says

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Alexander Spatari | Moment | Getty Images

Business leaders are walking back recessionary expectations for the U.S. that initially spiked in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement, according to data released Monday.

Less than 30% of CEOs forecast either a mild or severe recession over the next six months, per Chief Executive Group’s survey of more than 270 taken last week. That’s down from 46% who said the same in May and 62% in April.

The share of CEOs polled this month who said they expect some level of growth in the U.S. economy also shot up above 40%. That’s nearly double from the 23% who gave the same prediction in April.

Expectations for flat economic growth have surged in recent months, rising above 30% from 15% in April. That comes as some market participants question if “stagflation” — a term used to described an environment with stagnating economic growth and sticky inflation — could be on the horizon.

Chief Executive’s latest data reflects a shifting outlook among corporate America’s leaders as they follow the evolving policy around Trump’s tariffs. Many large companies have left their earnings outlooks unchanged, citing the uncertainty around what the president’s final trade policy will and will not include.

Trump sent U.S. financial markets spiraling in April after first unveiling his plan for broad and steep levies on many countries and territories, which market participants worried would hamper consumer spending. He placed many of those duties on pause shortly after, which helped the market recoup much of its losses.

The White House has been negotiating deals with countries during this reprieve, which is set to expire early next month. The Trump administration announced an agreement with the United Kingdom and is holding talks with China in London on Monday.

Recession talk

Firms have raised alarm that tariffs could hit their bottom lines and that they will need to pass down higher costs by raising prices. Some also said rising fears of a recession because of the levies have pushed consumers to tighten their belts financially.

The University of Michigan’s closely followed consumer sentiment index has plunged near its lowest levels on record as the tariff announcements rattled everyday Americans.

However, a New York Federal Reserve survey released Monday paints a brighter picture. The data showed that the average consumer is growing less concerned about inflation after Trump walked back some of his most severe trade plans.

“From the macro, the worst concerns, I think, have passed,” Home Depot CEO Edward Decker said last month. “We’ve gone from a dynamic of where we were going to have a near certain recession and stock market correction in early April, to where today stock markets fully recovered (and) recession expectations are way down in the past month.”

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Inflation fears receded in May as Trump eased some tariff threats, New York Fed survey shows

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Fruit and vegetables are seen at a Walmart supermarket in Houston, Texas, on May 15, 2025.

Ronaldo Schemidt | Afp | Getty Images

Americans grew less fearful about inflation in May as President Donald Trump backed off the most severe of his tariff proposals, according to a New York Federal Reserve survey Monday.

The central bank’s Survey of Consumer Expectations showed that the one-year inflation outlook took a substantial dip, down to 3.2% — a 0.4 percentage point decrease from April.

At the three-year horizon, the outlook fell 0.2 percentage point to 3%, while the five-year forecast edged down to 2.6% from 2.7%.

While all three are still above the Fed’s 2% annual target, they represent progress and a change in a fearful attitude that coincided with Trump’s saber-rattling on tariffs, culminating with the April 2 “liberation day” announcement.

Trump initially slapped universal 10% tariffs on all U.S. imports and a menu of so-called reciprocal duties on dozens of nations. However, he soon backed off the latter measures, opting for a 90-day negotiating window that expires in July.

The New York Fed survey, which is less volatile than others such as the University of Michigan and Conference Board measures, provides some good news for the White House at a time when administration officials are trying to tamp down worries about tariff-induced inflation.

“By every measure of inflation, it’s down by more than it’s been in more than four years,” National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Monday morning on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “While the tariff revenue has been going up, inflation has been coming down, which is contrary to the story that everybody else has been saying, but very consistent with what we’ve been saying.”

Inflation as measured by the Fed’s preferred personal consumption expenditures price index was at 2.1% in April, matching lowest its been since February 2021. Excluding food and energy, core PCE stood at 2.5%, a gauge Fed officials believes is a better measure of longer-term trends.

The Fed survey showed expectations dipping across most price groups, though respondents did see food prices rising by 5.5% over the next year, a 0.4 percentage point increase from May and the most since October 2023. Elsewhere, respondents saw gas price increases easing to 2.7%, down 0.8 percentage point. The outlook for medical care, college education and rent increases also were lower on a monthly basis.

There also was a positive move in employment, with those expecting to lose their job over the next 12 months dipping to 14.8%, down half a percentage point.

Other areas showed optimism as well: The probability of missing a minimum debt payment over the next three months fell half a point to 13.4%, its lowest since January. Respondents also had more confidence in stocks, with 36.3% expecting the market to be higher a year from now, up 0.6 percentage point.

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Economics

Donald Trump’s new travel ban is coming into effect

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THE EXECUTIVE order banning travel from 12 countries, which comes into effect on June 9th, is more methodical than previous iterations. In his first batch of executive orders, issued on January 20th, President Donald Trump directed several top advisers to compile a list of countries with insufficient screening standards for potential migrants, which they considered to be a national-security risk. The order warned that people from these countries could be barred from coming to America. It was a signal that Mr Trump intended to resurrect the travel ban, one of the most controversial immigration policies of his first term.

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