The two Fed chiefs have turned out to be remarkably similar policymakers
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has just finished his first year on the job—marking the fifth year of what could be called the Yellen-Powell Fed. Together with predecessor Janet Yellen, Powell has presided over the slowest rate-hiking cycle the U.S. has ever seen. Their patience might just deliver that most elusive of goals of central bankers: bringing a hot economy into a “soft landing,” tamping down nascent inflation while avoiding a recession.
Inheriting a Fed that still had key interest rates near zero, Yellen began to raise them when economic data was strengthening—then paused and pledged restraint at the first sign of trouble. Powell has largely followed her lead. So far, so good. Inflation is hovering at about the Fed’s 2 percent goal, and 13 million Americans have joined the job market since Yellen took office in February 2014. The central bank has coaxed interest rates up to between 2.25 percent and 2.5 percent. And it’s managed to shrink the massive balance sheet of bonds it built up after the financial crisis without sending markets into a tailspin.
Yet the strategy has taken fire from both sides. Yellen was regularly warned that raising interest rates too slowly risked spurring runaway increases in consumer prices. Throughout 2018, President Trump lambasted Powell for tightening too much. Many on Wall Street complained, too.
Denne historien er fra February 11, 2019-utgaven av Bloomberg Businessweek.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 11, 2019-utgaven av Bloomberg Businessweek.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Instagram's Founders Say It's Time for a New Social App
The rise of AI and the fall of Twitter could create opportunities for upstarts
Running in Circles
A subscription running shoe program aims to fight footwear waste
What I Learned Working at a Hawaiien Mega-Resort
Nine wild secrets from the staff at Turtle Bay, who have to manage everyone from haughty honeymooners to go-go-dancing golfers.
How Noma Will Blossom In Kyoto
The best restaurant in the world just began its second pop-up in Japan. Here's what's cooking
The Last-Mover Problem
A startup called Sennder is trying to bring an extremely tech-resistant industry into the age of apps
Tick Tock, TikTok
The US thinks the Chinese-owned social media app is a major national security risk. TikTok is running out of ways to avoid a ban
Cleaner Clothing Dye, Made From Bacteria
A UK company produces colors with less water than conventional methods and no toxic chemicals
Pumping Heat in Hamburg
The German port city plans to store hot water underground and bring it up to heat homes in the winter
Sustainability: Calamari's Climate Edge
Squid's ability to flourish in warmer waters makes it fitting for a diet for the changing environment
New Money, New Problems
In Naples, an influx of wealthy is displacing out-of-towners lower-income workers