U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday said the U.S. central bank should start the process of reducing its support of the economy by cutting back on its asset purchases, but should not yet touch the interest rate dial.

“I do think it’s time to taper; I don’t think it’s time to raise rates,” Powell said in a virtual appearance before a conference, noting that there are still 5 million fewer U.S. jobs now than there were before the coronavirus pandemic. He also reiterated his view that high inflation will likely abate next year as pressures from the pandemic fade.

“We think we can be patient and allow the labor market to heal,” he said.

The Fed has promised to keep its benchmark overnight interest rate at the current near-zero level until the economy has returned to full employment and inflation has reached the central bank’s 2 percent goal and is on track to stay moderately above that level for some time.

It’s “very possible” the Fed’s full employment goal could be met next year, Powell said Friday, if supply chain constraints ease as expected and the service sector opens more fully, allowing job growth to speed back up. Job gains slowed sharply in August and September as COVID-19 cases surged.

Still, it’s not a certainty, and if inflation — already higher and lasting longer than initially expected — moves persistently upward, the Fed would “certainly” act, he said.

“Our policy is well positioned to manage a range of plausible outcomes,” Powell added. “We need to watch, and watch carefully, and see if the economy is evolving consistent with our expectations, and adapt policy accordingly.”

Powell said he sees a growing tension between the Fed’s two mandates of full employment and stable prices.(SD-Agencies)