Federal Reserve Chair Powell May Push For Rate Cut Amid Labor Market Concerns

According to Odaily, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is likely to seek consensus for at least a 25 basis point rate cut at the upcoming meeting later this month. However, due to recent weaknesses in the labor market, Powell and others may advocate for a more substantial rate reduction. Kathy Bostjancic, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist at Nationwide, mentioned in an email that Powell does not necessarily need unanimous agreement to initiate rate cuts at the forthcoming September meeting, but he may prefer to do so, especially for the first rate cut. Former Labor Department economist Betsey Stevenson noted on social media that consensus has traditionally been a way to prevent the politicization of the Federal Reserve. She added that if she were a member of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), she would prioritize achieving consensus. Dan North, Senior Economist at Allianz Trade Americas, commented on the difficulty Powell might face in garnering consensus for a larger rate cut, stating that there would be significant opposition, which could appear unfavorable. Diane Swonk, Chief Economist at KPMG, expressed on social media that Powell might be willing to take this risk. Swonk wrote that Powell is more concerned about the labor market than his colleagues and aims for a soft landing. The question remains whether he will push for a 50 basis point rate cut and how much opposition he is willing to face to achieve this goal.