Catenaa, Friday, August 22, 2025- US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday said that sweeping changes in tax, trade and immigration policies have resulted in the shifting of the balance of risks between employment and stable prices.
In his much-anticipated speech at the Fed’s annual conclave in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the central bank leader in prepared remarks cited that while he noted that the labor market remains in good shape and the economy has shown “resilience,” he said downside dangers are rising.
At the same time, he said tariffs are causing risks that inflation could rise again — a stagflation scenario that the Fed needs to avoid.
With the Fed’s benchmark interest rate a full percentage point below where it was when Powell delivered his keynote a year ago, and the unemployment rate still low, conditions allow “us to proceed carefully as we consider changes to our policy stance,” Powell said.
“Nonetheless, with policy in restrictive territory, the baseline outlook and the shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance,” he added.
However, the remarks were enough to send stocks soaring, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average showing a gain of more than 780 points following the public release of Powell’s speech.
In addition to market expectations, President Donald Trump has demanded aggressive cuts from the Fed in scathing public attacks he has lobbed at Powell and his colleagues.
The Fed has held its benchmark borrowing rate in a range between 4.25%-4.5% since December. Policymakers have continued to cite the uncertain impact that tariffs will have on inflation as a reason for caution and believe that current economic conditions and the slightly restrictive policy stance allow for time to make further decisions.
