Federal Reserve to "Proceed Carefully" on Additional Firming: Powell Press Conference
"We're in a position to proceed carefully" in assessing whether additional policy firming will be needed, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said at his post-monetary decision press conference. The central bank kept rates unchanged for the second time this year, but the Federal Open Market Committee members indicated rates will stay higher for longer in their summary of economic projections. The economy has expanded at a solid pace, he said. And while the labor market has eased somewhat, labor demand still exceeds worker supply, he said. Inflation has moderated since the middle of last year and inflation expectations remain "well-anchored." Still, getting inflation down to the Fed's goal of 2% "has a long way to go." Developing... check back for updates.