Fed-Chef schließt Handlungsbedarf wegen Inflation nicht aus

US Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh has expressed concern over high inflation in the United States, hinting that the central bank may need to take action to curb it. Speaking at a key central banking meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Warsh noted that the numbers related to price stability were more concerning. He stated that he would be hard pressed to describe current financial conditions as restrictive, suggesting that interest rate hikes could be on the horizon, though he did not explicitly support such a move.

The US central bank has consistently missed its long-term two-percent target for inflation over the past five years, with the latest measure of the Fed's preferred gauge indicating an inflation rate of 3.7%. Warsh emphasized that the central bank's primary focus should currently be on prices, and that the underlying inflation needs to move towards the target at a sufficient speed. He further indicated that he did not see recent data suggesting that underlying inflation trends had meaningfully improved.

Warsh expressed satisfaction with the overall performance of the economy, highlighting metrics in business capital expenditures, corporate earnings, and consumer spending. He also noted that unemployment in the United States remained relatively steady at 4.1%, which he considered broadly consistent with full employment. Additionally, Warsh touched upon the potential impact of artificial intelligence technology on the US economy, describing the current moment as a "hinge point in history."

The Fed chair did not mention the central bank's independence, which has been under attack by the Trump administration. However, he reiterated the importance of clearer market signals, expressing a preference for unfiltered market indicators. Analysts welcomed Warsh's speech as providing much-needed insight into his views, but warned that his decision to be less transparent could lead to more noise in the market.