• Aug 24, 2024

Fed's actions spoke louder than words in inflation fight, research shows

The Federal Reserve's credibility in the eyes of financial markets helped in its battle against inflation over the past two years, but it had to be earned afresh with interest rate hikes that backed up policymakers' verbal promises to restore price stability, according to new research presented at the Kansas City Fed's annual research conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. A strong perception in financial markets that a central bank is committed to inflation control can make monetary policy more effective, prompting markets to shift financial conditions faster and lowering inflation with a less serious hit to economic growth than would otherwise be the case.