WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard on Friday said the U.S. economy appears capable of handling further interest-rate increases in the near future.
“My anticipation is that the outlook is for continued, solid growth,” she said in an interview with CNBC. “The outlook looks consistent to me for continued gradual increases in the federal funds rate.”
Asked about the potential for global trade friction, and President Donald Trump’s new tariffs and trade policy, to affect the U.S. economy, Brainard sounded a cautious note, saying it is “very hard to say how current discussions could evolve.”
“But if we saw broadening and retaliatory measures really spreading that could dent global confidence, it could disrupt global supply chains, and so it’s certainly an uncertainty, a material uncertainty to the outlook,” she said.
Reporting by Lisa Lambert and Eric Walsh; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.