Powell leans hawkish, as expected; markets show no significant reactions

The highly anticipated speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powel at the annual Jackson Hole, Wyoming Fed symposium has so far had no major impact on the marketplace. Powell struck a hawkish tone on U.S. monetary policy, saying the inflation fight is not finished and the Fed “has a long way to go” to get inflation tamed to where the Fed wants it to be. Powell said the U.S. economy may not be cooling down like the Fed wants to see in order to choke off inflationary pressures. He said the U.S. central bank is prepared to raise interest rates further, if warranted. “We are in a position to proceed carefully,” said Powell. Some Fed watchers are saying Powell leaned hawkish, but maybe not as hawkish as some in the marketplace expected. Thus, the so-far muted reactions by the markets. December gold was last up $0.50 at $1,947.40.

By

Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

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