The US economy is improving but has yet to recover fully, with high unemployment and a weak housing market weighing on consumers, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said today.
In remarks to state legislators that focused heavily on the problems faced by budget-strained state and municipal governments, Bernanke said constraints at the local level were also hindering the national rebound.
'We have a considerable way to go to achieve full recovery in our economy, and many Americans are still grappling with unemployment, foreclosure, and lost savings,' Bernanke said.
But he said that consumer spending should pick up in coming quarter, as income rises and credit conditions improve. He said that should help sustain the recovery, even as a lift from fiscal stimulus and a restocking of inventories by businesses fades.
Bernanke said the Fed believes inflation will remain subdued over the next couple of years, citing stability in measures of inflation expectations.
With regards to banks, Bernanke said loan loss rates appeared to have peaked, but many bank balance sheets remained riddled with troubled loans. This has kept lending conditions tight, presenting another hurdle to more robust recovery.
Fears about sovereign debt burdens in Europe also have contributed to financial market strains, although the public disclosure of bank stress tests appeared to have quelled anxiety, the Fed chief said.
The US economy has grown for four quarters in a row, but the pace of recovery slowed to a 2.4% annual pace in the second quarter. The softening has sparked speculation that the Fed might have to take further steps to bolster the economy.
In response to the worst financial crisis in a generation, the Fed slashed interest rates close to zero and engaged in a host of unprecedented emergency actions to help credit markets, including massive purchases of government and mortgage bonds.
