Powell says inflation is still too high and lower economic growth is likely needed to bring it down

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell acknowledged recent signs of cooling inflation, but said that the welcome slowing in prices was not enough yet to determine a trend and that the central bank would be "resolute" in its commitment to its 2% mandate.

"Inflation is still too high, and a few months of good data are only the beginning of what it will take to build confidence that inflation is moving down sustainably toward our goal," said Powell in prepared remarks for his speech at the Economic Club of New York. "We cannot yet know how long these lower readings will persist, or where inflation will settle over coming quarters."

"While the path is likely to be bumpy and take some time, my colleagues and I are united in our commitment to bringing inflation down sustainably to 2 percent," Powell added.

Powell hinted the labor market and economic growth may need to slow to ultimately achieve the Fed's goal.

"Still, the record suggests that a sustainable return to our 2 percent inflation goal is likely to require a period of below-trend growth and some further softening in labor market conditions," Powell said.

The comments come the same day initial jobless claims hit their lowest weekly level since early in 2023, indicating that the labor market is still tight and could exert upward pressure on inflation.

Fed officials have been using interest rate hikes in part to try to level out a supply-demand imbalance in the jobs market. However, robust job creation in September and a slow pace of layoffs could put progress on inflation at risk.

"Additional evidence of persistently above-trend growth, or that tightness in the labor market is no longer easing, could put further progress on inflation at risk and could warrant further tightening of monetary policy," he said.