Inflation surprises and labor market tightening necessitate an appropriate response from the Federal Reserve, says Ellen Zentner — chief U.S. economist for Morgan Stanley — in the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast. With the ABA’s Economic Advisory Committee’s consensus forecast including three quarter-point rate hikes in 2022, the committee expects inflation to moderate but remain persistently high throughout the year.

In addition to inflation and the path of monetary policy, Zentner also discusses:

• Supply chain constraints and their effects on consumer prices and demand.
• Housing market trends as Generation Z enters its homebuying years.
• The role of potential future COVID mitigation measures.