Daly: Case for a 50 bps rate hike in May is now “complete”

San Francisco Fed President and FOMC member Mary Daly on Wednesday said that the case for a 50 bps rate hike in May is now “complete” and that the Fed can also make an announcement on the reduction of its balance sheet at the next meeting, reported Reuters.

Daly said that since the March meeting, she had seen new evidence that the economic expansion in the US is self-sustaining. Raising interest rates to 2.5% this year is not abrupt or surprising, she noted, and there is broad understanding that it is appropriate.

The Fed expects US economic growth to slow below trend, but not tip into recession, and even if it did, it would be mild and short, she noted. Moreover, Daly said that its premature to decide on how restrictive policy may need to get and the Fed will need to evaluate inflation and supply chains.