Fed Cuts Rates by 25 Basis Points, Bitcoin Price at Record as Powell Says Trump Win Has 'No Effect' on Policy.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell's speech later today could shake up markets as he will face questions about the central bank's outlook on monetary policy and inflation after Donald Trump's decisive win in the U.S. presidential election.
As widely expected by market participants, the U.S. Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark fed funds rate by 25 basis points to 4.5%-4.75% on Thursday, following the footsteps of other central banks to loosen monetary policy.
"Since earlier in the year, labor market conditions have generally eased, and the unemployment rate has moved up but remains low," the press release said. "Inflation has made progress toward the Committee's 2% objective but remains somewhat elevated."
The Bank of England also cut rates by 25 bps earlier today, while Sweden's Riksbank eased key interest rates by half percentage points.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who spoke for the first time since Donald Trump's decisive win of the U.S. elections, said that the election results have "no effect" on the Fed's policymaking in the near-term, quelling fears of a hawkish surprise.
Some observers mulled the possibility that the new president-elect's proposed policies such as tax cuts, tariffs and deregulation to stimulate economic growth could reignite inflationary pressures, prompting the Fed to take a more cautionary approach.
Powell said that monetary policy is still restrictive even with today's easing, but downside risks to economic growth has diminished since the Fed's September 50 bps cut. To reporter questions, he also said he would not resign if Trump asked him to leave and firing or demoting him is "not permitted under the law."
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