Ongoing economic growth, a solid job market, and inflation that remains above the 2% target means the U.S. central bank does not need to rush to lower interest rates and can deliberate carefully, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Thursday.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Thursday that interest rates are still expected to decline further, but suggested they might not be that much lower over the next few months.

During his first term as president, Donald Trump considered firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. He backed off then. Would Trump try again in a second term? Trump believes the president "should have a say in rates policy,

But if inflation continues to inch upward, the central bank may decide it needs to leave rates high to avoid a repeat of runaway inflation. Inflation peaked at 9.1% in June 2022 before slowly making its way back down closer to the Fed's target range of 2%.

A strong economy is giving Federal Reserve officials room to move “carefully” as they lower interest rates, the central bank chair said.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Thursday the U.S. central bank has time before it needs to adapt its policymaking thinking due to the return of President-elect Donald Trump to the White House.

The U.S. economy is in strong shape, Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell said Thursday, which means the central bank can move carefully as it cuts interest rates. Why it matters: The direction of Fed policy is clear — the central bank is likely to cut interest rates further — but Powell's remarks indicate that it is uncertain how fast and how far those rate reductions will be.

Stay informed on the latest insights from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and their impact on the financial markets.