Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated the central bank’s view that the economy was steady. However, he did acknowledge there was a higher sense of uncertainty among businesses and consumers because of the Trump administration’s latest policies.

Noting that "uncertainty around the changes and their likely effects remains high" Powell said the Fed is "focused on separating the signal from the noise as the outlook evolves. We do not need to be in a hurry, and are well positioned to wait for greater clarity."

Powell spoke at a volatile time, with stock markets and bond yields both declining in the wake of Trump's whipsaw announcements of steep tariffs.