WASHINGTON, June 16 (Reuters) - Richmond Federal Reserve president Thomas Barkin said Friday he is comfortable with further interest rate increases if coming data does not show that weakening demand for goods and services is feeding through to slower inflation.
"I am still looking to be convinced of the plausible story that slowing demand returns inflation relatively quickly" to the 2% target, Barkin said in comments prepared for delivery to the Maryland Government Finance Officer Association.
Many investors now expect the central bank to resume rate increases at its meeting in July.
But he did say the focus remained on returning "stubbornly persistent" inflation to the Fed's 2% target, from a current level more than twice that.
"The ’70s provides a clear lesson: If you back off inflation too soon, inflation comes back stronger, requiring the Fed to do even more, with even more damage," Barkin said.
Persons:
Thomas Barkin, Barkin, I’m, Howard Schneider, Chizu
Organizations:
Richmond Federal, Maryland Government, Association, Thomson
Locations:
U.S