Fed Resurrects ‘Transitory’ Inflation View Despite Previous Missteps

Published: 03-20-2025, 09:45 am | Updated: 03-20-2025, 09:06 am

The Federal Reserve has revived its “transitory” inflation stance, projecting inflation will spike to 2.8% in 2025 before falling back to 2% in later years.

Powell suggested tariff-induced inflation could be temporary if it moves quickly through the economy while expectations remain anchored. This addresses concerns that Trump’s tariffs could spark a trade war and renew inflation problems.

The Fed’s position comes after its 2021 misjudgment when inflation, predicted to be temporary, surged to 9% and required aggressive rate hikes. Despite this history, markets reacted positively—the Dow rose 383 points—as investors appeared to trust the Fed’s control over inflation.

Powell indicated two more quarter-point rate cuts may come this year but stressed that nothing is certain and the Fed will monitor conditions closely.