Chicago Fed Policy Outlook Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee confirmed that the Federal Reserve remains primary focused on curbing inflation. He noted that the current labor market remains fundamentally stable, providing the central bank with the necessary flexibility to maintain its restrictive stance until price pressures subside. The outlook for monetary easing depends entirely on incoming economic data. Goolsbee signaled that interest rate cuts could be on the table for later in **2026**, but only if there is definitive evidence that inflation is on a sustainable trajectory toward the **2%** target. Protecting the central bank's autonomy is viewed as essential for long-term price stability. Goolsbee warned that any political interference in monetary policy decisions could undermine public confidence and potentially reignite inflationary trends.