‘What’s the rush?’ Fed’s Waller says interest-rate cuts can wait

Federal Reserve Gov. Chris Waller said there’s “no rush” to reduce U.S. interest rates in light of stronger-than-expected readings on inflation and economic growth early in the new year. “The data that we have received since my last speech [on Jan. 16] has reinforced my view that we need to verify that the progress on inflation we saw in the last half of 2023 will continue,” Waller said at a speech in Minneapolis on Thursday night. “And this means there is no