Goldman Sachs chief economist: The Federal Reserve is expected to continue making data-driven decisions and will not be biased by survey pressure.

Goldman Sachs chief economist Jan Hatzius said on Monday that the threat of criminal prosecution against the Federal Reserve Chairman will exacerbate market concerns about the central bank's independence, but he expects the Fed to continue making policy decisions based on economic data. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Global Strategy Conference in 2026, Hatzius said, "Clearly, concerns about a potential blow to the Fed's independence are growing, and the latest news about the criminal investigation into Chairman Powell has further reinforced those concerns." He added, "I have no doubt that Powell will continue to make decisions based on economic data for the remainder of his term, and will not be swayed by pressure in any particular direction—whether it's raising or lowering interest rates, it will follow data guidance." (Jinshi)