Economics

Fed Rush to Catch Up on Inflation Raises U.S. Recession Risks

  • Ex-economic officials Lindsey, Summers see dangers of downturn
  • Inflation pressures broader, more persistent than Fed expected
Risk of a Fed Policy Mistake Is Rising: State Street’s Gerard
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

The Federal Reserve faces a growing risk of making a policy mistake, tipping the economy into a recession, as it confronts decades-high inflation that’s proving more persistent and broad-based than policy makers expected.

After holding interest rates near zero since the start of the pandemic, Fed Chair Jerome Powell and his colleagues are poised to embark on a credit-tightening campaign next month, with some economists forecasting an outsized half percentage-point increase to start the cycle.