The Federal Reserve, looking at the most recent economic news, has been getting more concerned again about inflation. It's signaling is having the likely unplanned result of putting regional banks under more pressure over CRE loans, even though the Fed and other agencies have said that the banking system is fine.

One escape route that regional banks have used — an insurance-like maneuver — is becoming harder to get, according to Reuters, adding to the strain the banks have been feeling. But a finance and banking expert and academic told GlobeSt.com that the concern may be overblown.

In a Tuesday speech to the Florida Bankers Association, Fed Board of Governors member Michelle Bowman noted "progress on inflation" over the last year. But recent Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Index moves "suggest slower progress in bringing inflation down toward our 2 percent target," she said. "We had also seen signs of the labor market coming into better balance, but recent strong jobs reports—including upward revisions to employment growth—show a continued tight labor market."

Continue Reading for Free

Register and gain access to:

  • Breaking commercial real estate news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical coverage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.