|

Fed's Barkin: Have not yet seen signs that inflation is actually on track

Richmond Federal Reserve (Fed) President Thomas Barkin hit newswires for a second time on Monday as the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voting member gave his outlook on economic conditions in the US while taking audience questions during a speech in South Carolina.

Key highlights:

  • Business contacts suggest labor market is normalizing, though some sectors are still catching up.
  • Neutral rate metrics have moved up, but current policy still feels restrictive.
  • Believes that current rates are restrictive enough.
  • Barkin feels the risks are weighted towards more inflation.
  • It takes a while to corral price-setters.
  • Recent data is a stubborn read, less optimistic about how long it will take to get inflation under control.
  • Imagines Fed will need to take some edge off of demand to finally finish inflation fight.
  • Barkin has not yet seen evidence that inflation is on track.
  • GDP growth still seems strong, Fed is now focusing on job market.

Read more: Barkin earlier comments

Author

Joshua Gibson

Joshua joins the FXStreet team as an Economics and Finance double major from Vancouver Island University with twelve years' experience as an independent trader focusing on technical analysis.

More from Joshua Gibson
Share:

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD clings to humble gains around 1.1780

EUR/USD manages to reverse Tuesday’s pullback, sticking to daily gains around 1.1780 following an earlier bull run past 1.1800 the figure. The pair’s slight advance comes on the back of the equally marginal uptick in the US Dollar, as investors continue to closely follow developments on the trade front and news from the White House.

GBP/USD flirts with weekly tops north of 1.3500

GBP/USD leaves behind the previous day’s decline and regains fresh upside traction on Wednesday, surpassing the 1.3500 barrier in a context of a marginal advance in the Greenback and a generalised improved mood in the risk-associated universe. Meanwhile, the US tariff narrative continues to dictate the mood among market participants.

Gold picks up pace, focus on $5,200

Gold buyers are stepping back in on Wednesday, with sights set on $5,200 and potentially higher, after Tuesday’s pullback from monthly highs. The yellow metal’s recovery follows some loss of momentum in the US Dollar after Trump’s SOTU speech failed to deliver fresh impetus and AI-related jitters continue to fade.

Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple post cautious recovery amid downside risks

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple are posting a cautious recovery on Wednesday following a market correction earlier this week.  BTC is approaching a key breakdown level, while ETH and XRP are rebounding from crucial support levels.

Nvidia remains at the heart of the AI boom

Nvidia remains at the heart of the AI boom, with Q4 revenue projected near $65.6–66.1 billion, nearly 70% higher year-over-year. But investors are watching cash flow, leverage, and broader AI adoption. Growth is strong, but the AI stress isn’t over.

Cosmos Hub Price Forecast: ATOM rebounds slightly, bearish outlook remains intact

Cosmos Hub (ATOM) price rebounds, trading above $2.05 at the time of writing on Wednesday, after undergoing a sharp correction since last week. Weakening on-chain and derivatives data support a bearish outlook, while technical analysis remains unfavorable.