Economic Nervousness and Policy Implications

The minutes of the January Federal Reserve meeting gave a cautious policy outlook. Nervousness about the economic consequences of US President Trump’s policies was clear. In particular, the potential for Trump to ignite a further wave of inflation was cited. Companies seem more willing to pass on import tax increases to end consumers than in Trump’s first term (perhaps because consumers have become more accustomed to price increases). The potential for profit-led inflation may exaggerate that.