Richmond Fed's Barkin (non-voter in 2019-20,....>

FED: Richmond Fed's Barkin (non-voter in 2019-20, neutral/lean hawk) in comments

today in West Virginia reiterated some of his previous glass-half-full outlook

re "great" US domestic economy facing uncertainty due to international and trade

developments.

- Repeated some of the recent FOMC language on the July rate cut as a "mid-cycle

reduction in interest rates, with the goal of providing a little insurance for

the continued growth of the economy and strength of the labor market".

- Little new, then, in outlook since his last public comments on July 11 (not

much case for 'stepping on the brakes' OR 'stepping on the gas'), and saying

FOMC "monitoring [the rate cut's] impact" doesn't tip his hand in terms of his

support for further accommodation. Certainly, a candidate for being one of the

'several' officials who sided with the dissenters at the July meeting.

- That said, he's a non-voter in 2019-20.