Former Federal Reserve (Fed) Bank of St Louis president James Bullard said he expects the pace of US monetary policy easing to be slow, although the latest inflation print sparks hope for a September interest-rate cut.

The pace of cuts will be slow because there is no sense of urgency in the real economy, Bullard said on Friday in virtual remarks at a UBS Group AG event in Singapore. Still, the latest inflation report had brought September back into play, he added.

Although Fed officials’ projections showed only one cut in 2024, the market is pricing in two quarter-point rate reductions this year, in November and December respectively. Bullard recently changed his view to two rate cuts from the three he had envisioned in April, as inflation moved towards the central bank’s target and the economy remained resilient.

Bullard, who is currently the dean of the Purdue University’s business school, said the US growth outlook remains robust, even as he ruled out the chance of a hike later this year.

“If they want hawkish policy, they can keep rates at where they are. They can delay easing,” he said, projecting US 10-year Treasury yields to stay in the mid-4% range through 2025.

  - Bloomberg