• Waller
  • Says he strongly supported faster taper
  • US economy is closing in on maximum employment
  • Omicron variant is 'big uncertainty'
  • Taper gives increased flexibility to adjust policy as early as the spring
  • Inflation has broadened
  • Baseline outlook is for inflation to moderate but watching expectations closely

Waller is a hawk but calling for an quick rate hike after the sped-up taper is especially hawkish. This is certainly a shift. Previously he had said he wanted to have 'space' to hike as soon as Q2 but now he's calling for it.