empty
07.04.2025 11:11 AM
Jerome Powell Is Not Ready to Intervene

Investors were deeply disappointed when Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell made it clear during his Friday speech at the end of last week that he does not intend to intervene in the current market developments.

This image is no longer relevant

According to Powell, the U.S. central bank will not rush to respond to the Trump administration's broad tariffs or to the market turbulence triggered by fears of a global economic downturn. While the tariffs are expected to have a significant impact on the U.S. economy—slowing growth and increasing inflation—Fed officials have decided to wait for greater clarity on Trump's new policies before lowering interest rates.

The market responded immediately. Powell also emphasized that since inflation remains high, the Fed must ensure that the temporary price increases driven by tariffs do not become entrenched.

It is now evident that the Fed is not in a position to offer the kind of economic "insurance" it provided during the 2018–2019 trade war, as inflation remains above target. The Fed's apparent hesitation could result in the U.S. economy falling into a recession in the second half of the year. At that point, the central bank is likely to take action, as there will be more clarity about the trajectory of inflation and the global economy's reaction to Trump's protectionist measures.

"Although the level of uncertainty remains high, it is becoming clear that the scale of the tariffs will be significantly larger than expected," Powell said at the annual conference of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. "Our responsibility is to keep long-term inflation expectations anchored and to ensure that a one-time price level increase does not evolve into a persistent inflation problem," he added.

In his view, the Fed is in a favorable position to wait for more clarity before considering any adjustments to its policy stance. Powell noted that the central bank's tools can either slow or stimulate the economy, and a choice between the two will be necessary if both inflation accelerates and growth weakens.

Powell's remarks also indirectly point to the Fed's readiness to make broader use of its monetary policy tools, which could include not only interest rate adjustments but also changes to the size of its balance sheet. However, economists remain divided on the long-term implications of such a policy. Some believe decisive action is needed to stabilize prices and prevent an inflationary spiral, while others worry that keeping rates high for too long could slow economic growth and trigger a recession.

It is worth noting that the Fed's next meeting is scheduled for May 6–7. Traders in the futures markets, who had assigned about a 50% chance of rate cuts, reduced those odds to around 30% following Powell's comments.

As for the current technical outlook for EUR/USD: Buyers now need to focus on breaking above the 1.1020 level. Only then can they target a test of 1.1090. From there, a move to 1.1145 is possible, although reaching that without support from major players would be difficult. The final target would be the high at 1.1215. If the instrument declines, major buying activity is expected around the 1.0950 zone. If buyers don't step in there, it would be wise to wait for a retest of the 1.0890 low or open long positions from the 1.0845 level.

As for the technical picture for GBP/USD: Pound buyers need to push through the nearest resistance at 1.2950. Only then can they aim for 1.2990, although breaking above that level will be challenging. The ultimate target would be the 1.3040 level. If the pair falls, the bears will try to take control around 1.2870. If successful, a breakdown of that range could deal a serious blow to bullish positions and push GBP/USD down toward the 1.2830 low, with the potential to reach 1.2760.

Jakub Novak,
Analytical expert of InstaForex
© 2007-2025
Select timeframe
5
min
15
min
30
min
1
hour
4
hours
1
day
1
week
Earn on cryptocurrency rate changes with InstaForex
Download MetaTrader 4 and open your first trade
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    JOIN CONTEST

Recommended Stories

The Bank of England to Slow Down the Pace of Policy Easing

The Bank of England recently cut interest rates for the second time in 2025, justifying its decision with slowing inflation and steady movement toward the target level. But no sooner

Chin Zhao 00:05 2025-05-22 UTC+2

The Dollar Sawed Off the Branch It Was Sitting On

Can the euro be considered a strong currency? I have significant doubts about that. An independent group of economic advisors to Friedrich Merz forecasts that the German economy will enter

Marek Petkovich 00:05 2025-05-22 UTC+2

The Yen Goes on a Buyer Strike

A collapse in confidence in the U.S. dollar, rumors of coordinated currency intervention, and capital repatriation to Japan are driving USD/JPY back into a downtrend. The music playing

Marek Petkovich 00:05 2025-05-22 UTC+2

EUR/USD: Continued Weakness in the U.S. Dollar

The four-week-long southern impulse we saw in EUR/USD has fully faded. Last week, sellers pushed the pair to a monthly low at 1.1066, but then seemed to "fear their

Irina Manzenko 18:59 2025-05-21 UTC+2

High Inflation Supports the Pound. GBP/USD Outlook

The UK Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose from 2.6% to 3.5% in April, surprising the market, which had expected an increase to 3.3%. The core CPI also exceeded forecasts

Kuvat Raharjo 18:47 2025-05-21 UTC+2

USD/CAD. Analysis and Forecast

The USD/CAD pair is attracting sellers for the third consecutive day. A break below the 1.3900 level signals increased selling pressure, which could lead to further downside. Rising oil prices—driven

Irina Yanina 18:41 2025-05-21 UTC+2

USD/CHF. Analysis and Forecast

For the third consecutive day, the USD/CHF pair continues to lose ground. The fundamental backdrop suggests that the path of least resistance remains to the downside. The pair has been

Irina Yanina 18:38 2025-05-21 UTC+2

GBP/JPY. Analysis and Forecast

Following the release of UK consumer inflation data, which came in above expectations, the GBP/JPY pair slightly pared back its intraday losses. However, it failed to attract significant buying interest

Irina Yanina 11:25 2025-05-21 UTC+2

Will Global Central Banks Continue to Cut Interest Rates? (Bitcoin May Resume Growth and USD/JPY May Decline)

Among the economically developed nations—those that belong to the Western wing of the global economy—there is an important rule: a target of 2% inflation, specifically consumer inflation. Achieving this target

Pati Gani 09:46 2025-05-21 UTC+2

Market: Do or Die!

Markets can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent. The S&P 500 rally from the April lows—adding $8.6 trillion in market cap—often appeared irrational. Investors ignored the Federal Reserve's

Marek Petkovich 08:23 2025-05-21 UTC+2
Can't speak right now?
Ask your question in the chat.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.