Fed’s Goolsbee: CPI data indicate inflation on 2% path

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee on Friday marked the latest inflation report as “excellent.” Goolsbee further stated that the reports prove that the central bank is on track to meet its 2% target.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) is trading unchanged on the day at 104.45, as of writing.

Key Quotes

June CPI report ‘excellent,’ improvement on shelter inflation ‘profoundly encouraging’.

I think this is what the path to 2% looks like.

As inflation falls, leaving Fed policy rate steady means Fed is tightening policy.

The reason to tighten policy would be if economy is overheating.

We are not overheating.

Labor market is cooling, still strong.

It doesn’t feel like the beginning of a recession.

Financial conditions are pretty restrictive.

I don’t like tying our hands on policy decisions.

Need to decide when to cut rates, not trying to figure out a rate path for next seven months.