Investors await major speech from Powell for clarity on path for interest rates

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will speak Friday during an annual economic policy gathering to give his outlook on the economy. It’s a time of high uncertainty with inflation still running hot and a stalling labor market. The Fed chair used his appearance at last year’s symposium to signal rate cuts were on the horizon, but analysts are less certain that will happen this year.

Originally Published: August 19, 2025 at 9:06 AM EDT