| Key Points: – Waller ties March rate-cut support to February jobs report results. – Strong January hiring may justify skipping a March cut, emphasizing data dependence. – Weak February labor reading would spur Waller to back a policy-rate cut. |
Christopher Waller signaled that his support for a March rate cut hinges on the February jobs report, according to Bloomberg. He framed the upcoming labor print as decisive for whether conditions warrant a first step toward easing.
He also suggested that solid job gains in January could justify skipping a cut at the next meeting, as reported by Big Rapids News. That stance underscores a data-dependent approach and a willingness to wait for clearer confirmation.
By contrast, a weaker February reading would leave him ready to support a reduction in the policy rate, per the Wall Street Journal. The emphasis is on near-term labor momentum rather than unrelated developments.
Key labor indicators Waller is watching in February data
Waller has highlighted signal versus noise in monthly payrolls, with revisions and sector breadth carrying as much weight as the headline. Based on data practices from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), payroll estimates are routinely revised in subsequent months, which can materially change the narrative.
Editorially, his framework points to three focal areas: whether January’s strength broadens beyond a few sectors, how average hourly earnings and the unemployment rate evolve, and whether January gains are revised away. Only a combination of these elements would meet his threshold for judging the labor trend as durable or fading.
“If the good labor market news … is revised away or evaporates in February … a cut should be made at the March meeting,” said Christopher Waller, Governor, at the U.S. central bank. The conditional phrasing reflects balanced risks and a preference to align policy with established momentum rather than a single data point.
What a hold vs cut could mean near term
Policy transmission would differ in pace and channels depending on the decision. A hold preserves current financial conditions and gives policymakers another month of data and revisions, while a cut would begin easing borrowing costs at the margin.
If labor strength persists: case to hold and reassess after revisions
If February payrolls remain firm, breadth improves across sectors, unemployment holds near recent levels, and wage growth avoids re-acceleration, the case to hold strengthens. In that setup, officials could reassess after BLS revisions clarify whether January’s gains were trend or noise.
A hold would be consistent with guarding against premature easing while inflation progresses toward target. It would also reduce the risk of re-stoking price pressures if labor momentum is genuinely resilient.
If labor weakens or gains are revised away: case for 25 bps cut
If February hiring cools, the unemployment rate edges up, wage growth moderates, or prior gains are revised down, the bar for a 25 basis point cut would likely be met under Waller’s framework. As characterized by the Wall Street Journal, he would then be inclined to support easing given softer labor conditions.
In that scenario, a measured reduction could cushion downside risks to employment without committing to a rapid cycle. The emphasis would remain on incremental adjustments aligned with the dual mandate.
At the time of this writing, Bitcoin traded near $65,867 with very high 11.03% volatility and a neutral 14-day RSI of 37.87. This backdrop illustrates cross-asset sensitivity to shifting Federal Reserve policy expectations.
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