Fed’s Powell predicts solid but slower growth in 2019

WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says the U.S. economy should keep expanding at a solid, though somewhat slower pace this year. But he warns of growing risks, including a global slowdown, volatile financial markets and uncertainty about U.S. trade policy.

In delivering the Fed’s semiannual monetary report to Congress, Powell says the Fed will be “patient’’ in determining when to boost its benchmark policy rate in light of the various “crosscurrents and conflicting signals.’’ He says the Fed’s rate decisions will be “data dependent’’ as the economic outlook evolves.

The Fed in December indicated it could hike rates two times this year. But many private economists believe the Fed will keep rates unchanged until late this year and may not hike at all.

Powell said that the economy grew at a strong pace last year, with employment and inflation remaining close to the Fed’s goals. He said it appeared that overall growth was slightly below 3 per cent in 2018. The Fed expects 2019 growth to slow somewhat.

He said that while the 35-day partial government shutdown “created significant hardship for government workers and many others, the negative effects on the economy are expected to be fairly modest and to largely unwind over the next several months.’’

Powell cited a number of factors that could slow growth have emerged in recent months.

“Financial markets became more volatile toward year-end, and financial conditions are now less supportive of growth than they were earlier last year,’’ Powell said.

He noted that growth has slowed in major foreign economies, including China and Europe, and “uncertainty is elevated’’ around major policy issues such as Brexit, Britain’s proposed exit from the European Union, and ongoing U.S. trade negotiations with various countries.

Powell’s testimony Tuesday before the Senate Banking Committee will be followed by testimony on Wednesday before the House Financial Services Committee.

Some private analysts are forecasting that the Fed’s next move could be a rate cut in 2020 as the central bank confronts a slowing economy.

At its last meeting in January, the Fed left rates unchanged at a level of 2.25 per cent to 2.5 per cent and signalled a major pivot away from steadily raising rates by declaring that it intended to be “patient’’ in determining when to move rates again.

The Fed’s decision triggered a big rally in stock prices as investors grew less concerned that the Fed could over-do its tightening cycle and push the country into a recession.