Fed Reveals Surprise Shift as Several Officials Ponder Hike

[lostincalifornia]

Federal Reserve officials appeared surprisingly wary of cutting interest rates when they met last month, with several even suggesting the central bank may need to raise rates if inflation remains stubbornly high.

While the minutes of the central bank’s Jan. 27-28 policy meeting, released Wednesday, fell far short of suggesting most officials were contemplating the possibility of rate increases, they made clear the Fed is shifting further away from agreeing on another cut.

That could put it on a collision course with President Donald Trump and complicates the task of Trump’s nominee for Fed chair, Kevin Warsh.

“The minutes carry a distinctly more hawkish tilt,” Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, wrote in a note to clients. “This sets up an interesting dynamic if and when Kevin Warsh is confirmed as Fed chair.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-18/fed-minutes-show-several-officials-point-to-rate-hike-scenario?srnd=homepage-americas

[durablend]

1. The Heinz rage meter will hit a thousand

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Everything is too expensive, but in order to solve that

we have to make things more expensive in the short term. That will be popular

[newdeal2]

4. Blame Trump's stupid tariffs

Democrats need to be pounding that message daily.

[W_HAMILTON]

7. "The solution to higher prices is ... higher prices."

Everything is too expensive, but enough people are still paying those higher prices, so higher prices persist.

Companies will continue to raise prices as long as consumers are still paying them...

[tinrobot]

9. Pick one - lower prices or lower interest rates.

Rising interest rates will make the cost of borrowing more expensive, but it should help mitigate price inflation.

Housing market is the perfect example. Low interest rates mean people can borrow more to hit a monthly payment they can afford. So they'll bid up home prices. Higher interest rates tend to limit home prices because people can borrow less for the same payment.

As a real estate guy, the orange felon wants the value of his properties to go up, so he wants low interest. If that means the price of everyone's groceries also goes up, so be it. It's all about him, not the rest of us.

[Timewas]

3. How about

SOme do a cut in Greed, that might help inflation some.

[snot]

5. It wouldn't help for long to print more dollars (by lowering rates),

since inflation would soon consume any wage or supply gains.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. Oh geez

Donny must be shitting himself again

[maxsolomon]

8. At this point, a quarter percent INCREASE would make me laugh and laugh.

MFer hasn't done jack shit to curb inflation.