At top of the Fed, a dispute on policy picks up steam

ArticleDeflationMay 17, 2018 - 6:47:03 AM

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's top deputies are edging toward a clash that could shape the pace of interest-rate hikes in coming months.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's top deputies are edging toward a clash that could shape the pace of interest-rate hikes in coming months, as well as how the Fed should prepare for and combat the next economic downturn.

The fault lines are technical as well as philosophical and include a debate over whether the economy has shifted into a higher gear, giving the Fed room for more interest-rate hikes and perhaps reducing the need for controversial tools like bond-buying to fight future recessions.

They come as tax cuts and government spending boost growth and inflation, giving policymakers the breathing room to debate whether to retool the Fed's basic policy approach to give themselves more firepower even if slower future economic growth is unavoidable...

Source: cnbc.com