Summers said a combination of major immigration restrictions, federal government layoffs and damage to US competitiveness from President Donald Trump's tariffs.

The bond market in the past month has been caught between signs that US economic growth is slowing.

He also reiterated that he and Trump are focused on bringing down 10-year Treasury yields, rather than on the Fed's short-term benchmark rate.

Thirty members of the Senate Banking and House Financial Services committees signed a letter petitioning the administration to name a new vice chair for supervision — and quickly.

Notably, Trump described the January decision to hold rates steady – which looks set to be the Fed's stance for some time — as "the right thing to do."

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said insurance companies and banks are already pulling out of disaster-prone areas, which could pose problems.

The Federal Reserve governor said regulators have stifled the banking system's ability to experiment with emerging technologies.

State banking associations across the country said that Michelle Bowman should be the Federal Reserve vice chair for supervision, not least because she already sits on the Fed board and could start immediately.

It took until Thursday for the president to indicate he'd follow through on some of his tariff threats, meaning investors who had been bracing for levies to be imposed on day one of his term had a couple weeks of relief.

Stability in mortgage rates may be key to unlocking pent-up demand during the upcoming spring homebuying season, but with loans still expensive and prices continuing to rise, affordability remains a hurdle.

Strong economic growth coupled with a solid labor market allows officials to wait for further evidence of cooling inflation before adjusting rates again. It also offers them time to evaluate President Donald Trump's policies.

Mortgage experts were expecting the first FOMC meeting under President Trump would have more significance in the long run than short-term, with some wild cards.

With the Federal Reserve touting a slower pace of easing, markets are expecting a longer pause. But Gov. Christopher Waller said the next interest rate reduction could come as soon as March because of inflation data.

Seen by many as a logical pick for the Federal Reserve's next vice chair for supervision, Gov. Michelle Bowman wants the institution to focus on safety and soundness issues, tailoring and transparency.

Analysts are unsure what the Federal Open Market Committee will do with monetary policy in 2025. The panel projects two rate cuts, but some analysts expect more, and others see fewer.

The Federal Reserve is poised to make several key decisions during the year ahead that will impact monetary policy both in the near term and for years to come.

The Federal Reserve will seek comment on the current stress-testing regime with an eye toward increasing transparency and reducing volatility. Modifications would not go into effect until at least 2026.

Annualized inflation increased to 2.7% in November from 2.6% the previous month, providing further evidence that the economy remains strong despite restrictive monetary policy.

Economic forecasts include the possibility of higher inflation and slower growth that could stall future cuts to the federal fund rates.

The rally left yields lower by at least three basis points, with short maturities — more sensitive to Fed policy changes — falling the most.