Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller is a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. The governors vote at each Federal Open Market Committee.
Waller is speaking on his economic outlook before the Australasia Conference, in Sydney, Australia
Earlier:
Fed's Waller dismisses US CPI report as 'just one data point', markets 'way out in front'
More:
- The FOMC statement in November was designed to signal a potential step down to 50 basis points. "We knew the markets were going to jump for joy." So the Fed used Powell's press conference to "drive the point home" that it's the ultimate level for rates that matters.
- US housing markets "will be okay"
- Household balance sheets remain in good shape
- Was always going to be a communications challenge to signal slowdown in the pace of hikes, fed "is not softening"
- Signal was to pay attention to the endpoint not the pace of rate increases, and until inflation slows the endpoint is "a ways out"
- Fed keeping an eye on the balance sheet, don't want to "crush" holdings in a way that will cause problems in markets
- A "benchmark" target may be about 8 to 10 percent of GDP
