|

Powell speech: Economy in favorable place, Fed will act as appropriate

  • Greenback weakens modestly following Powell's remarks at Jackson Hole.
  • Powell doesn't deliver any fresh insights into the next policy move.
  • Leaves the door open for cuts by saying Fed will 'act as appropriate.'

In his prepared remarks delivered at the Jackson Hole Symposium, Jerome Powell, Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, said that the US economy was in a 'favorable place,’ and added that the Fed will 'act as appropriate.'

The US Dollar Index turned south on Powell's remarks and erased its daily gains. As of writing, the index was unchanged on the day at 98.22. Below are some additional takeaways as reported by Reuters.

"Fed is working to sustain economy that faces significant risks."

"No recent precedents' to guide policy response to trade uncertainty."

"Fed tries to look through passing events, focus on how trade developments affect outlook, adjust policy to promote objectives."

"Slowing global growth, trade policy uncertainty, muted inflation weigh on favorable outlook."

"Fed is carefully watching developments, says three weeks since last policy meeting eventful."

"New tariffs on Chinese imports, more evidence of a global slowdown, geopolitical events like possible hard Brexit."

"Financial markets have reacted strongly to complex, turbulent picture."

"Economy has continued to perform well, sharp decline in global long-term bond rates, volatile equity markets."

"Financial stability risks seem moderate."

"Fed cannot prevent people from taking excessive risks."

"Will be appropriate to tilt policy one way or another because of prominent risks."

"Business investment, manufacturing have weakened; solid job growth, consumer spending supporting moderate growth well."

"Job market is historically strong."

"Inflation has been surprisingly stable during expansion."

"Premise that healthy US economy needed higher rates was generally borne out."

"Low inflation, not high inflation, is problem of this era."

Author

Eren Sengezer

As an economist at heart, Eren Sengezer specializes in the assessment of the short-term and long-term impacts of macroeconomic data, central bank policies and political developments on financial assets.

More from Eren Sengezer
Share:

Editor's Picks

AUD/USD leans on a China prop that's quietly buckling

The Australian Dollar spent Monday trying to talk itself into a recovery, and the tape was not buying it. AUD/USD has ridden a China-and-commodities narrative for months, one that conveniently glossed over how shaky both legs of that trade have become, and Friday's Nonfarm Payrolls print finally forced a reckoning. US employers added 172K jobs against a consensus near 85K, with roughly 93K of upward revisions to prior months and the unemployment rate steady at 4.3%.

USD/JPY: Japanese Yen ignores every reason it has to strengthen

There is a strange disconnect running through the Japanese Yen right now, and USD/JPY parked just above 160.00 captures it perfectly. By any domestic reading the Yen should be firming: first-quarter Gross Domestic Product beat expectations over the weekend at 0.5% on the quarter, the Bank of Japan is widely expected to raise rates at its meeting on June 18, and authorities have spent the past week jawboning a currency they clearly want stronger.

Gold edges lower below $4,350 as Fed rate hike expectations grow

Gold price trades with mild losses around $4,325 during the early Asian session on Tuesday. The precious metal remains on the defensive near its lowest since March 24 amid uncertainty in the Middle East and rising bets of a US interest rate hike. 

Strategy resumes BTC accumulation with 1,550 Bitcoin purchase, adjusts STRC dividend schedule

Bitcoin treasury firm Strategy bought 1,550 BTC last week for roughly $101.3 million, according to a Form 8-K filing on Monday. The purchase, made at an average price of $65,332 per Bitcoin, was funded through proceeds from the company's at-the-market equity offering program.

$1.75 trillion: Is SpaceX the most popular IPO in history, or the most engineered?

On June 12, the largest initial public offering (IPO) in history is set to hit the tape, and almost nobody is asking whether the price is right, because almost everybody already wants in.

The US economy defies the rules: 100 days into the Oil shock and the recession signal is still missing

More than three months after the start of the Iran war and the resulting disruption to global energy markets, the US economy continues to display remarkable resilience. The conflict has triggered a sharp rise in Oil prices, reignited inflationary pressures and fueled widespread concerns about a potential economic slowdown.