Fed’s Miran pushes for 50 bps cut, says 25 bps ‘minimum’ needed

Key Takeaways

Fed Governor Miran supports a 50 bps cut, arguing current data justifies faster easing.
Internal Fed debate continues as Powell signals no firm commitment on December decision.

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Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran said the US central bank should move more aggressively to cut interest rates to avoid falling behind a weakening economy.

In a CNBC interview today, Miran again called for a 50 basis point cut, saying even a 25 point reduction would be the bare minimum. He dissented at both the September and October meetings, where the Fed instead opted for quarter-point moves.

“If you’re making policy for what the data are now, you’re backward looking,” Miran said, adding that monetary effects take 12 to 18 months to filter through the economy.

Miran said the available data already shows signs of cooling in both inflation and the labor market. He argued this should make the Fed more dovish than its September forecast, which projected three total cuts for the year.

While market odds for a December cut remain above 60%, they’ve been drifting lower. Fed Chair Jerome Powell has emphasized that another cut isn’t guaranteed, as officials remain split between holding rates steady to combat inflation or easing further to support employment.