The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points, or a quarter of a percentage point. The move brings the benchmark funds rate to a range of 4.75% to 5%. In the wake of recent turmoil for regional banks, Chair Jerome Powell assured the public that the Fed will use "all of our tools" to keep the banking system safe.
Fed will use 'all of our tools' to keep banking system safe, Chair Jerome Powell says
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank will use all its tools to safeguard the banking system.
"Our banking system is sound and resilient, with strong capital and liquidity. We will continue to closely monitor conditions in the banking system and are prepared to use all of our tools as needed to keep it safe and sound," Powell said.
"In addition, we are committed to learning the lessons from this episode, and to work to prevent episodes from events like this from happening again," he added.
Regional bank issues means tighter credit conditions, Powell says
Fed Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged that the issues in the banking system in recent weeks will create tighter credit conditions.
"We believe however that events in the banking system over the past two weeks are likely to result in tighter credit conditions for households and business, which would in turn result affect economic outcomes. It is too soon to determine the extent of these effects, and therefore too soon to determine how monetary policy should respond," Powell said.
He later compared the banking issues to additional rate hikes.
Powell cautions that inflation fight 'has a long way to go'
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell warned that the central bank still has some distance to cover as it tries to bring down inflation to its longer-run goal.
"The process of getting inflation back down to 2% has a long way to go and is likely to be bumpy," the central bank leader said at his post-meeting news conference.
He noted some progress and also said the Fed will be assessing data and the impact of its rate hikes in deciding how to proceed with policy.
"Inflation has moderated somewhat since the middle of last year, but the strength of these recent readings indicates that inflation pressures continue to run high," Powell said.
Bank deposit flows have stabilized, Powell says
The banking system is resilient and deposit flows are back on track, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said.
"Deposit flows in the banking system have stabilized over the last week," he said.
Powell said the powerful actions taken by the Fed, Treasury Department and FDIC demonstrate that depositors' savings and the banking system are safe.
The central bank is now undertaking a thorough internal review to see where it can strengthen supervision and regulation.
Fed Chair Powell anticipates tighter credit conditions ahead, says “some additional policy firming may be appropriate”
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell noted that tighter credit conditions are likely ahead following turmoil in the regional banking sector.
"We believe, however, that events in the banking system over the past two weeks are likely to result in tighter credit conditions for households and businesses, which would in turn affect economic outcomes," he said.
"It is too soon to determine the extent of these effects, and therefore too soon to tell it how monetary policy should respond," Powell added. "As a result, we no longer state that we anticipate that ongoing rate increases will be appropriate to quell inflation. Instead, we now anticipate that some additional policy firming may be appropriate."
The Fed will closely monitor incoming data and assess the actual and expected effects on tighter credit conditions on economic activity, the labor market and inflation in order to inform its policy decisions, Powell added. He said the Fed is "strongly committed" to returning inflation to its 2% objective.
Powell says committee considered a pause in light of the banking crisis
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said the rate-setting committee considered a pause in rate hikes in light of the banking crisis.
"We did consider that in the days running up to the meeting," Powell said in the press conference when asked about a pause.
Powell said the reason for the very strong consensus for a rate hike resulted from the intermediate data on inflation and the labor market that came in stronger than expected before the recent events.
"We are committed to restoring price stability and all of the evidence says that the public has confidence that we will do so that will bring inflation down to 2% over time. It is important that we sustain that confidence with our actions, as well as our words," Powell said.
Fed Chair Powell on Silicon Valley Bank failure, 'How did this happen?'
At his press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Fed Chair Jerome Powell spoke about Silicon Valley Bank's failure.
Powell slams Silicon Valley Bank management over lack of supervision
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said that management at Silicon Valley Bank "failed badly," while exposing customers to "significant liquidity risk and interest rate risk."
He added that stronger supervision and regulation is needed to prevent another string of bank collapses and deposit crisis.
"My only interest is that we identify what went wrong here," Powell said.
The market is getting it wrong by predicting rate cuts this year, says Powell
The market is getting it wrong if it expects rate cuts later this year, said Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
He highlighted the fact that the central bank's summary of economic projections published Wednesday anticipates slow growth, a gradual decline in inflation and the rebalancing of both supply and demand within the labor market.
"In that most likely case, if that happens, participants don't see rate cuts this year," he said.
Powell added that what lies ahead for the economy may be "uncertain" but rate hikes are not currently in the central bank's "baseline expectation."
If the Fed needs to raise rates higher, it will, Powell says
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said the central bank will conduct more rate hikes if it needs to in order to fight inflation.
"If we need to raise rates higher, we will," Powell said in the press conference. "I think for now, though ...we see the likelihood of credit tightening. We know that that can have an effect on the macro economy."
The chairman said the Fed will also watch inflation and the labor market closely.
"Of course, we will eventually get to tight enough policy to bring inflation down to 2%," Powell said.
Fed, other regulators will use 'tools' to protect depositors, Powell says
Fed Chair Jerome Powell tried to assure Americans that their bank deposits will be kept safe, but stopped short of saying explicitly that even uninsured deposits will be backstopped by federal officials.
"What I'm saying is you've seen that we have the tools to protect depositors when there is a threat of serious harm to the economy or to the financial system, and we're prepared to use those tools. I think depositors should assume that their deposits are safe," he said.
There's still a 'pathway' to a soft landing, Fed Chair Powell says
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said it's "too early" to say what effect the banking crisis will have, but the central bank leader expects a pathway "still exists" to a soft landing.
"It's too early to say, really, whether these events have had much of an effect," said Powell, adding that credit standards and credit availability will be affected the longer the banking crisis continues.
"I do still think though that there's, there's a pathway to [a soft landing]," he added, saying "I think that pathway still exists, and, you know, we're certainly trying to find it."