Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Susan Collins said on Wednesday that more interest-rate cuts are needed, but policymakers should proceed carefully to avoid moving too quickly or too slowly, per Bloomberg.
Key quotes
Some additional rate cuts are needed as the policy is still restrictive.
Doesn’t want to cut rates too quickly.
Overly slow rate cuts could hurt the labor market.
The final destination of rate cuts is unclear.
Monetary policy is well positioned for the economic outlook.
Monetary policy is not on a preset course.
Fed policy decisions to be done meeting-by-meeting.
Any further slowdown in the job market is undesirable.
Risks to the outlook are roughly in balance.
The labor market is healthy, with inflation moving back to 2%.
Strong productivity means wage gains not inflationary.
The economy is in a good place.
Progress to 2% inflation could be uneven.
Balance sheet policy most useful in unusual conditions.
Market reaction
The US Dollar Index (DXY) is trading 0.04% lower on the day at 106.60, as of writing.
Fed FAQs
Monetary policy in the US is shaped by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed has two mandates: to achieve price stability and foster full employment. Its primary tool to achieve these goals is by adjusting interest rates. When prices are rising too quickly and inflation is above the Fed’s 2% target, it raises interest rates, increasing borrowing costs throughout the economy. This results in a stronger US Dollar (USD) as it makes the US a more attractive place for international investors to park their money. When inflation falls below 2% or the Unemployment Rate is too high, the Fed may lower interest rates to encourage borrowing, which weighs on the Greenback.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) holds eight policy meetings a year, where the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) assesses economic conditions and makes monetary policy decisions. The FOMC is attended by twelve Fed officials – the seven members of the Board of Governors, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and four of the remaining eleven regional Reserve Bank presidents, who serve one-year terms on a rotating basis.
In extreme situations, the Federal Reserve may resort to a policy named Quantitative Easing (QE). QE is the process by which the Fed substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system. It is a non-standard policy measure used during crises or when inflation is extremely low. It was the Fed’s weapon of choice during the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. It involves the Fed printing more Dollars and using them to buy high grade bonds from financial institutions. QE usually weakens the US Dollar.
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse process of QE, whereby the Federal Reserve stops buying bonds from financial institutions and does not reinvest the principal from the bonds it holds maturing, to purchase new bonds. It is usually positive for the value of the US Dollar.
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