Fed Chair Jerome Powell wants more proof inflation is falling before cutting interest rates
CBSN
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank will cut its benchmark interest rate this year — but not yet.
In comments before a House panel on Wednesday that echoed his previous outlook, Powell noted that U.S. prices are falling for both goods and services. Inflation "has eased notably over the past year," although it remains above the Fed's 2% annual target, he said.
On the first of his two days of semi-annual testimony to Congress, Powell also suggested that the Fed faces two roughly equal risks: Cutting rates too soon — which could "result in a reversal of progress" in reducing inflation — or cutting them "too late or too little," which could weaken the economy and hiring.
Washington — The Supreme Court on Friday said it will consider the constitutionality of the Federal Communications Commission's Universal Service Fund, agreeing to review a lower court decision that upended the mechanism for funding programs that provide communications services to rural areas, low-income communities and schools, libraries and hospitals.
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launched six space tourists on a high-speed dash to the edge of space and back Friday, giving the passengers — including a husband and wife making their second flight — about three minutes of weightlessness and an out-of-this world view before the capsule made a parachute descent to touchdown at the company's west Texas flight facility.