Fed's Goolsbee Urges Caution on Rate Cuts Amid Official Inflation Data Gap

Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee said on Nov. 6 that the absence of official inflation data during the government shutdown reinforces his cautious stance on further rate cuts, Jin10 reports. "My inclination is to be more careful and slow down when the road ahead is still foggy," Goolsbee said in an interview. The Fed retains access to private labor market data, including the Chicago Fed's new biweekly unemployment estimate, which suggests October unemployment may have risen to 4.4%, the highest in four years. Goolsbee noted that alternative inflation data sources are highly limited, making it harder to detect potential inflation issues.