Goldman CFO "Likes" Fed's Big Rate Cut: US Economy Soft Landing in Sight
Goldman Sachs Chief Financial Officer Denis Coleman said on Tuesday that the Federal Reserve's move to cut interest rates by 50 basis points has put the U.S. economy on a path to a soft landing.
As Coleman made this statement, market participants questioned whether the Fed's substantial rate cut was timely enough to curb inflation without plunging the economy into a recession.
Some analysts expressed concern about the outlook for the U.S. economy, warning that similar significant rate cuts could not prevent the economic downturn and global financial crisis at the beginning of the 21st century.
The Fed cut interest rates by 50 basis points last Wednesday, surprising some economists.
This was the first time the Fed has cut rates so significantly since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 and the global financial crisis in 2008.
Coleman said on Tuesday, "I believe the initial 50 basis point rate cut is a clear signal of a new direction.
I hope this will release more and more confidence and significantly reduce the cost of capital - perhaps even taking some more strategic actions before the end of this year."
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He added, "As we move into 2025, this move is expected to improve the backlog in the entire market and promote activity across the market."
When asked if the Fed's rate cut has ensured a soft landing for the U.S. economy, Coleman said he hopes and expects that to be the case.
"At the moment, that's the consensus," Coleman said.
"Managing the economy during the transition has always been a very tricky job.
But inflation is falling, unemployment is at a manageable level, the Fed has started to implement rate cuts, and to some extent, it is on track for a soft landing."
Not everyone believes that the U.S. economy will continue to hold strong in the coming months.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said in an interview on Tuesday, "I am a long-term optimist.
But in the short term, I am more skeptical than others that everything will turn out well."
"The market's pricing seems to suggest that things will get better.
Let me be cautious about that," he added.