Fed Minutes Show Officials Were Eager to Slow Interest-Rate Cuts
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... Federal Reserve officials in December adopted a new stance on rate-cutting amid elevated inflation risks, deciding to move more slowly in the months ahead.

"Participants indicated that the committee was at or near the point at which it would be appropriate to slow the pace of policy easing," minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee's Dec. 17-18 gathering showed. "Many participants suggested that a variety of factors underlined the need for a careful approach to monetary policy decisions over coming quarters."

They cited higher inflation readings, continued strength in spending, and reduced downside risks to the outlook for the labor market and economic activity, the minutes, released Wednesday in Washington said. US central bankers cut their benchmark lending rate by a quarter-point at that meeting to a range of 4.25% to 4.5%.

The Fed's staff incorporated "placeholder assumptions" about potential policy changes under incoming US President Donald Trump, resulting in an economic growth forecast that was slightly slower, with inflation also expected to remain firm.

The minutes showed "a number" of policymakers indicated they also included placeholder assumptions in their updated economic projections. "Almost all participants judged that upside risks to the inflation outlook had increased," the minutes said.

Officials expected the US jobs market to remain solid. However, they "generally noted that labor market indicators merited close monitoring." ...