Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller stated he is open to pausing interest rate hikes at the upcoming March meeting, contingent on February employment data indicating continued labor market strength.
Following January's unexpectedly robust job growth of 130,000 positions, Waller indicated that similar positive results in February would sway his decision towards a pause. He had previously dissented at the January meeting, favoring a rate cut due to concerns about weak job growth.
Waller attributed current inflation pressures mainly to tariffs, expecting them to ease. He considers underlying inflation to be near the Fed's 2% target, allowing focus on employment.
Despite acknowledging past weak job creation in 2025, he projects first-quarter GDP growth of around 2%, supported by consumer spending and industrial activity.
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