Federal Reserve sets stage for earlier, faster interest rate hikes as inflation soars

Just last month, the Federal Reserve was set on keeping its key interest rate near zero to boost the economy and help more Americans return to work after the COVID-19-induced recession.

Now, the Fed seems nearly as determined to raise the short-term rate to fight inflation.

In an effort to rein in price increases that hit a 39-year high last month, the Fed on Wednesday agreed to clear the way for earlier and faster interest rate increases in 2022 by accelerating the phaseout of its bond-buying stimulus. It's now forecasting three rate increases next year.

"We are prepared to use our tools to make sure high inflation doesn't get entrenched," Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in a video news conference. "This is a strong economy, one in which it's appropriate for interest rate hikes."

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The turnabout, which Powell signaled during congressional testimony late last month, came after consumer prices spiraled higher, reaching 6.8% annually in November, and the unemployment rate tumbled to 4.2% that same month. The latter development highlights widespread worker shortages that could intensify and drive up wages.

But the Fed faces a delicate balance as it aims to curtail inflation without disrupting the recovery. COVID-19 spikes driven by the omicron coronavirus variant are threatening to slow an economy that’s already set to cool next year.

The central bank lowers rates to spur more borrowing and economic activity and raises them to ward off inflation surges.

How much will Fed raise interest rates?

The Fed’s policymaking committee left its benchmark rate near zero but now projects three rate hikes next year, up from one in its September forecast, according to officials’ median estimate. The panel foresees three more increases in 2023 and two in 2024. That would push the rate to 2.1% by the end of 2024.

To set the stage for earlier rate increases, the Fed said it would pare back its Treasury and mortgage bond purchases by a total of $30 billion a month, up from the $15 billion it announced in November. The faster wind-down puts the central bank on track to conclude the bond purchases – which are aimed at pushing down long-term rates, such as for mortgages – by March instead of June.

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That opens the door to rate increases as soon as March, because Powell has said officials aren’t likely to withdraw support from the economy by lifting rates at the same time they’re adding support by purchasing bonds.

After the economy emerged from the Great Recession of 2007-09, the Fed didn't raise rates until a couple of years after it wound down similar bond purchases. But Powell said Wednesday that the economy is much stronger now, adding, "There wouldn't be the need for that kind of long wait."

In a statement after a two-day meeting, the Fed removed its description of inflation as “transitory.”

For months, Powell and the Fed have pinned sharply rising prices on COVID-19-related supply and demand imbalances that would soon pass. But at the congressional hearing, Powell noted the supply-chain snarls at the center of the price surges probably would last well into next year, adding “I think it’s probably a good time to retire that word (transitory).”

The Fed also removed an assertion that inflation has “run persistently below” the Fed’s 2% goal. Instead, it said," with inflation having exceeded 2% for some time, the (Fed) expects it will be appropriate to” keep rates near zero until the economy has reached full employment.

The statement added, “Risks to the economic outlook remain, including from new variants of the virus.”

How much will the economy grow?

Fed officials now predict the economy will grow a still-vibrant 5.5% this year, down from their 5.9% estimate in September. They forecast 4% growth in 2022, up from their prior 3.8% estimate. They predict the 4.2% unemployment rate will end this year at 4.3% and 2022 at 3.5%, below their previous 3.8% projection.

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The Fed’s preferred inflation measure – called the personal consumption expenditure price index – is expected to stay higher for longer, closing out this year at 5.3% and 2022 at 2.6%, up from earlier estimates of 4.2% and 2.2%, respectively. A core measure that strips out volatile food and energy items is forecast to end this year at 4.4% and 2022 at 2.7%, up from previous estimates of 3.7% and 2.3%.

But the Fed faces a quandary. Last year, with millions of Americans out of work during the depths of the pandemic, it vowed to keep its key rate near zero until the economy reached full employment and inflation rose above its 2% target “for some time.” Fed officials now say the inflation goal has been met and the economy is drawing close to satisfying the employment mandate, with the jobless rate not far above the half-century low of 3.5% reached before the health crisis.

"We are making rapid progress toward maximum employment," Powell said, referring to a labor market in which virtually anyone who wants a job has one. He said the U.S. should reach that goal next year.

What could happen to inflation?

But with the supply bottlenecks starting to ease, most economists expect inflation to soften but remain elevated in the coming months. Meanwhile, the historically low unemployment rate doesn’t account for the several million Americans who aren’t even looking for jobs because they can’t find or afford child care, they fear contracting COVID-19, or they’re still living off government stimulus checks or enhanced unemployment benefits.

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To truly achieve full employment, the Fed would like to draw those people on the sidelines back into the job market, Barclays says in a research note.

But that could be tougher if the Fed is raising rates to tame inflation that may already be easing by next spring but that officials feel they need to address to avoid a longstanding episode that derails the recovery.

“The Fed is in a difficult position,” Barclays said.

Also, the omicron coronavirus variant could further slow an economy that’s already expected to pull back next year because of a sharp drop in federal government stimulus.

Powell said the Fed can be nimble and scale back its planned rate increases, which are simply forecasts.

"If the economy slows down significantly, you can expect that would have the effect of slowing down rate increases," he said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fed meeting announcement: Federal Reserve to hike interest rate faster