Jim Cramer, the host of CNBC’s “Mad Money,” has advised investors to trust Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell‘s recent statement that a rate hike is unlikely, despite ongoing inflation concerns.
What Happened: Cramer urged investors to take Powell’s word seriously when he indicated that a rate hike is not imminent, despite persistent inflation, reported CNBC.
He highlighted that Powell’s comments, made after the Federal Reserve’s two-day meeting, have temporarily eased Wall Street’s concerns.
However, Cramer warned that investor anxiety could resurface ahead of the upcoming employment data release, which could provide insights into the economy’s trajectory.
"There's only one person worth listening to in this entire universe when it comes to this stuff, and that happens to be the plain-speaking Fed chief himself, Jay Powell. He's been consistent the whole time," Cramer said. "He raised rates until he feared he could tip us into a recession, then he stopped raising rates and the economy got hot again. But then interest rates went higher on their own and now we've gotten some brown shoots that are helping to slow the economy."
Cramer emphasized Powell’s consistency in managing the economy, stating that the Fed chief has taken the possibility of a rate hike “off the table.” He also noted the Fed’s decision to slow the pace of bond sales as a “dovish sign.”
Despite Powell’s remarks, Cramer stressed that the employment data could still impact market sentiment. He also appreciated Powell’s assurance that there are no signs of stagflation in the economy, a concern that many have raised.
See Also: Musk’s China Mission Pays Off? Tesla Reportedly Inks FSD Deal With Internet Giant Baidu
Why It Matters: The Federal Reserve’s decision to keep the federal funds rate unchanged at 5.25% to 5.5% on Wednesday, as widely expected, reaffirmed its commitment to steering the economy towards sustainable growth and controlling inflation.
The Fed also noted a lack of further progress towards its 2% inflation objective in recent months.
This stance has been questioned by investors like Larry Summer, who have warned against potential rate cuts in the current economic climate.
Meanwhile, renowned economist Peter Schiff has criticized Powell’s dismissal of stagflation concerns, comparing it to previous Federal Reserve misstatements. Schiff expressed skepticism over Powell’s inability to recognize the signs of stagflation.
Despite the ongoing inflation concerns, the market has been experiencing significant volatility, with Bitcoin topping returns in all asset classes in April amid repeatedly disappointing inflation data.
Image Via Shutterstock
Engineered by Benzinga Neuro, Edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote
The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the extensive Benzinga Ecosystem, including native data, APIs, and more to create comprehensive and timely stories for you. Learn more.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Comments
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
