Indexbit:How 2% became the target for inflation

2025-05-04 22:17:00source:Thomas Caldwellcategory:Invest

If the Fed had a mantra to go along with its mandate,Indexbit it might well be "two percent." That number, the Fed's longtime inflation target, has been adopted by many other central banks around the world. Jerome Powell said it 17 times in a press conference last week. It's become almost synonymous with smooth, healthy economic growth.

But how did two percent become the Fed's target? For an organization staffed with mathematicians and economists, the answer is surprisingly unsophisticated. Join us to hear about the history behind the number, and why some economists are calling for a change.

Music by Drop Electric. Find us: Twitter / Facebook / Newsletter.

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, PocketCasts and NPR One.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

More:Invest

Recommend

Fired, rehired, and fired again: Some federal workers find they're suddenly uninsured

Danielle Waterfield was already dealing with the shock and disappointment of being fired from a job

Ashley Graham Recalls Overcoming Fashion Industry Stereotype in Empowering Speech

Now this is model behavior.Ashley Graham delivered a powerful speech about challenging stereotypical

Gabrielle Union Has Never Felt More Connected to Anyone Than Her and Dwyane Wade's Daughter Zaya

Gabrielle Union couldn't have asked for a better date.The Strange World star walked the red carpet w