Fed's Brainard: Reductions in balance sheet could come as soon as June after decision made in May

Fed Vice Chair Lael Brainard said on Tuesday that reductions in the size of the Fed's balance sheet could come as soon as June, after a decision is made in May, reported Reuters. The Fed is tightening methodically as well as expeditiously, she commented, echoing recent remarks from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, noting that the Fe will tighten through a series of rate increases. In terms of the pace of rate increases meeting to meeting, the Fed doesn't want to focus on that, she cautioned. Nonetheless, the added, the combined effect will bring policy to a more neutral rate expeditiously later this year, she noted. 

Additional Remarks:

• "I don't have a stopping rule per se on interest rates."
• "I don't want to be too rigid in the appropriate course of policy this year and next."
• "I expect the combined effect of moving policy to a more neutral rate and reducing the balance sheet of bringing inflation down and moderating demand."
• "By moving expeditiously it gives us more options in the future."
• It is too early to have great confidence in what the post-pandemic, post-war new normal will be for the US economy. 
• In terms of the neutral rate, there are good reasons to think it will continue to be at quite low levels historically. 
• "We need to see how the economy evolves."
• The Fed is committed to bringing inflation back to our 2% goal. 
• "We are committed to keeping inflation expectations anchored."
• "We can anticipate inflation will return to our 2% goal over time."
• It will take more time than anybody would have thought for employment to go back to pre-pandemic norms.