Fed’s Bullard: Low Inflation Leaves Room to Maneuver

Reuters, April 17, 2013. All Rights Reserved.

(Reuters) – The current low inflation rate leaves the Federal Reserve with "room to maneuver" as it tries to boost the U.S. economy through its extraordinary monetary policies, a top Fed official said on Wednesday.

Still, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said he was concerned about the low inflation environment. Bullard said it hurts the central bank’s credibility to talk about so-called core inflation, which strips out volatile items such as food and gasoline prices, by creating a disconnect between Main Street and policymakers.

Bullard was fielding questions from the audience following a speech at the annual Hyman P. Minsky Conference in New York.