Fed Governor Waller: The time for rate cut is getting closer

Federal Reserve Governor Waller said on Wednesday that the time for the Fed to cut interest rates is "getting closer", but uncertainty about economic trends has made it unclear when interest rates may be lowered. "I believe the current data is consistent with a 'soft landing,' and I will be looking for data to support that in the coming months," Waller said. "While I don't think we've reached our ultimate goal, I do believe we are getting closer to the point where we would be justified in lowering policy rates," he said. Waller noted that economic growth is now moving at a "more moderate pace." "Moving forward, the job market is more balanced and inflation has eased. He said the most "optimistic" scenario was that the likelihood of a continued steady decline in inflationary pressures was "significant but not high", in which case "I could imagine a rate cut in the near future." But in the more likely scenario, the fall in inflation would be more uneven, which would cast doubt on a sustained return to the 2% target, Waller said. "In this case, there is greater uncertainty about a rate cut in the near future," he said. The least likely but still possible scenario is a rise in inflation, which he did not link to the path of monetary policy. (Golden Ten P)