Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh told attendees at the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium on Friday that inflation has not yet returned to acceptable levels, raising the possibility that the central bank could raise interest rates further to bring prices under control. The speech marked one of Warsh's most detailed public statements on monetary policy since taking the Fed's top post.

In his remarks, Warsh laid out seven principles intended to guide the Fed's policy decisions going forward, while renewing his criticism of the practice of forward guidance — in which the central bank telegraphs future rate moves to markets. Warsh argued that such guidance can constrain the Fed's flexibility and distort market behavior, a position he has long held.

The chair's warning that inflation remains too high comes despite a multi-year effort by the Fed to cool prices that surged in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. While inflation has declined significantly from its peak, Warsh indicated that the pace of progress has been insufficient to declare victory, and that the Fed must remain prepared to act.

Financial markets reacted to the speech with volatility as investors recalibrated expectations for the future path of interest rates. Higher rates tend to slow economic growth and can increase borrowing costs for consumers and businesses, making the Fed's posture a closely watched factor across sectors of the economy.

Warsh was nominated to lead the Federal Reserve by President Trump and has brought a distinct policy philosophy to the role. His Jackson Hole address underscored that he intends to take a more hawkish and less communicative approach than some of his predecessors, prioritizing the Fed's independence of action over market predictability.