Jerome Powell to address Congress as markets seek clues on monetary policy

• Jerome Powell’s testimony in the US Congress will be a top-tier market-moving event this week.
• New clues on the Federal Reserve interest rate path are awaited.
• US Dollar, stock markets and other asset classes could see big swings with the Fed Chair’s words.

Jerome Powell, Chairman of the United States (US) Federal Reserve (Fed), will deliver the Semi-Annual Monetary Policy Report and testify before the US House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday. The hearing will start at 14:00 GMT and it will have the full attention of all financial market players.

Jerome Powell is expected to address the main takeaways of the Fed’s Semi-Annual Federal Reserve Monetary Policy Report, published last Friday. In that report, the Fed noted that there are some early signs suggesting that tariffs are pushing up inflation and reiterated that monetary policy is well-positioned for what lies ahead.

In a long Q&A session, House members are expected to ask Powell about the interest rate path, inflation developments, and the economic outlook. They are also very likely to inquire about how US President Donald Trump’s policies and the current geopolitical environment could influence prices, growth prospects and the monetary policy moving forward.

The CME FedWatch Tool shows that markets are currently pricing in about a 20% probability that the Fed will lower the policy rate by 25 basis points (bps) in July after maintaining its status quo at every meeting this year. The revised Summary of Economic Projections (SEP), published alongside the policy statement after the June meeting, showed that policymakers are still projecting two 25 basis points (bps) rate cuts in 2025 and a single rate cut in 2026, compared to two rate cuts marked down in March’s SEP.

In an interview with CNBC this past Friday, Fed Governor Christopher Waller said that the Fed is in a position to lower rates as early as July. Citing concerning signs in the labor market, such as a high unemployment rate among recent graduates and slower job creation, Waller argued that the Fed should not wait for the job market to crash before easing policy. Similarly, Fed Governor Michelle Bowman noted that she would be in favour of lowering the interest rate at the next meeting to align the policy more closely with its neutral setting and maintain a healthy labour market.

In case Powell notes that they will not have enough data to confirm a rate cut in July and reiterates that they need to remain patient, the market positioning suggests that the US Dollar (USD) could gather strength against its rivals in the immediate reaction. On the flip side, a significant USD selloff could be seen if Powell leaves the door open for a policy-easing step in July. Comments on the inflation outlook, especially with rising energy prices due to the escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, could also drive the USD’s valuation.

About Jerome Powell (via Federalreserve.gov)

“Jerome H. Powell first took office as Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System on February 5, 2018, for a four-year term. He was reappointed to the office and sworn in for a second four-year term on May 23, 2022. Mr. Powell also serves as Chairman of the Federal Open Market Committee, the System’s principal monetary policymaking body. Mr. Powell has served as a member of the Board of Governors since taking office on May 25, 2012, to fill an unexpired term. He was reappointed to the Board and sworn in on June 16, 2014, for a term ending January 31, 2028.”