Federal Reserve Chairman's international debut sends a signal - Powell vows to ensure price stability.

date
01/07/2026
Local time on the afternoon of the 1st, Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Wash attended a agenda named "Monetary Policy" panel discussion at the Central Bank Forum hosted by the European Central Bank in Sintra, Portugal. This was Wash's first public speech on an international stage since attending a press conference after the June meeting of the Federal Reserve. During the discussion, Wash exchanged views with European Central Bank President Lagarde, Bank of England Governor Bailey, and Bank of Canada Governor Macklem on topics such as promoting economic growth, stabilizing employment, the impact of the AI investment boom on inflation, and monetary policy. Wash reiterated several times during the discussion that the Fed's priority is to ensure price stability. Wash said, "If any households, businesses, or financial institutions believe that the Fed will tolerate inflation rates above the long-term target of 2%, they will be disappointed in the future." Wash also emphasized that the Fed will continue to maintain its independence and not serve the political views of the president. The four central bank governors mentioned above also stated during the discussion that, facing the complex global economic situation, they will not provide forward guidance on monetary policy. During the discussion, the market continued to interpret Wash's remarks from a "hawkish" perspective, with most Treasury yields rising. The yield on 10-year Treasury bonds rose by about 5 basis points, approaching 4.5%; the yield on 30-year Treasury bonds rose by nearly 7 basis points, approaching the 5% level.