Fed's Barkin Says Path to Cutting Inflation Remains Unclear -- Market Talk

0904 ET - Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin says inflation will make it back to the central bank's 2% target, but its path to get there remains an open question. "Will the Fed need to raise rates further, or is inflation already on a path down to target?" Barkin says in a speech before the Greenville Chamber of Commerce in South Carolina. He argues that inflation was on track early last year but shot back up due to tariffs, an oil price shock and a flood of AI spending. Tariff rates have settled, the Middle East conflict is heading toward a resolution and the data center boom should ease at some point, Barkin says. But the elevated inflation seen today could be more "embedded" as supply chain challenges persist and AI continues to pull in major investments, he says. (dean.seal@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 13, 2026 09:04 ET (13:04 GMT)