Fed's Goolsbee sees gradual policy rate cuts over next 12-18 months

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 10/10/24 10:37 AM EDT

(Reuters) - Chicago Federal Reserve Bank Austan Goolsbee on Thursday said he sees a series of interest-rate cuts over the next year to year and a half, noting that inflation is now near the Fed's 2% goal and the economy is about at full employment, and the Fed's goal is to freeze those conditions in place.? ? "Over a 12-18 month period, I think we are going to gradually, whatever word you want to use, move to a steady state" on the policy rate, Goolsbee said in a CNBC interview.

He noted that there was broad agreement among policymakers that rates need to drop a "fair amount" over that time period. Near-term, he said, there are likely to be more meetings where policy decisions will be close calls, as last month's was, as central bankers sift through sometimes conflicting data.

(Reporting by Ann Saphir)

In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

fir_news_article