View original document

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

Embargoed Until 2:45 P.M U.S. Eastern Time,
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 – Or Upon Delivery

Using Data in Monetary
Policymaking: A View from the Fed
Remarks at the NABE Foundation’s
22nd Annual Economic Measurement Seminar
Susan M. Collins
President & Chief Executive Officer
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
July 15, 2025
Washington, D.C.

Engagement with Stakeholders in the Economy
Across the Boston Fed’s District – the 6 states of New England

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | bostonfed.org

2

Figure 1 | Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Inflation
8
7

Percent Change, 12-month

6
5
4
3
2
1
0
2018

Total PCE Price Index

2019

2020

2021

PCE ex Food and Energy Price Index

2022

FOMC Inflation Target

2023

2024

NBER-dated recession

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis / Haver Analytics.

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | bostonfed.org

3

Figure 2 | Components of Core PCE Inflation
B: Housing

C: Services Excl. Housing

12

12

10

10

8

8

6

6

4

4

2

2

0

0

-2

-2

-4

-4

-6

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

12-Month

3-Month

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Percent Change, Annual Rate

Percent Change, Annual Rate

A: Goods

-6

NBER-dated recession

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis / Haver Analytics.

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | bostonfed.org

4

Figure 3 | Civilian Unemployment Rate
16

Percent of Labor Force (SA)

12

8

4

0
2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

NBER-dated recession
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics / Haver Analytics.

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | bostonfed.org

5

Figure 4 | Wage Growth
10

Percent Change, year-over-year

8

6

4

2

0
2018

2019

2020

ECI: Compensation: Private Industry Workers

2021

2022

Indeede Wage Tracker: Posted Wage Growth

2023

2024

NBER-dated recession

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Indeed Hiring Lab / Haver Analytics.

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | bostonfed.org

6

Figure 5 | Productivity and Wage Growth
A. Real Value Output per Hour

B. ECI Growth Adjusted for Productivity
6

Percent Change, 8-Quarter Annualized

Percent Change, 8-Quarter Annualized

6

4

2

0

-2
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

4

2

0

-2
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

Note: These figures are based on experimental data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Division of Major Sector Productivity. Panel A shows 8-quarter annualized
growth in total economy real output less 8-quarter annualized growth in total economy hours worked. Panel B shows 8-quarter annualized ECI growth less growth
in the output per hour measure shown in panel A.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics / Haver Analytics.

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | bostonfed.org

7

Figure 6 | Required Years of Job Experience by Minimum Education Requirement
B: Bachelor's Degree or Higher

3.00

5.25

2.75

5.00

Required Years Experience

Required Years Experience

A: Less than Bachelor's Degree

2.50

2.25

2.00

4.75

4.50

2018

2020

2022

2024

4.25

2018

2020

2022

2024

Source: Lightcast
/ Author's
Calculations
. range between the minimum and maximum required number of years experience (red dashed lines) as well as the midpoint (blue line).
Note: Figures
show
the average
Note: Figures show the average range between the minimum and maximum required number of years of experience (red dashed lines) as well as the midpoint (blue line) .

Source: Lightcast / Author’s Calculations.

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | bostonfed.org

8

20

16

15

12

10

8

5

4

0

0

-5

-4

-10

2016

2017

Real PCE (left scale)

2018

2019

Real GDP (right scale)

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Percent Change, 4-quarter

Percent Change, 4-quarter

Figure 7 | Real PCE and Real GDP

-8

NBER-dated recession

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis / Haver Analytics.

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | bostonfed.org

9

Country

Figure 8 | Core PCE Shares of Imported Goods, by Country
China
Rest of World
Mexico
Canada
Vietnam
India
Ireland
Germany
Italy
Switzerland
Japan
Taiwan
South Korea
Thailand
France
Indonesia
United Kingdom
Malaysia
Singapore
Belgium
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

Import Contribution to PCE (2023), p.p.
Direct

Indirect

Note: The orange bars show the share of core PCE corresponding to imported goods that are directly consumed by US households. The blue bars show the
share of core PCE corresponding to imports that are used as inputs in domestic production. We use the 2023 market share of each country in different
BEA categories from US Census Bureau data to estimate each country's countribution to PCE.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Census Bureau / Authors' Calculations.

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | bostonfed.org

10

Figure 9 | Price Adjustments in Response to Tariffs
Price Adjustments in Response to Tariffs
Manufacturing

Services

We plan to pass on all of the cost increases into sales prices

35%

23%

We plan to pass on some of the cost increases into sales prices and
to absorb some through reduced margins

52%

28%

We plan to pass on some of the cost increases into sales prices and
to pass on the rest to other untariffed products or services we provide

4%

8%

We plan to absorb all of cost increases through reduced margins

3%

14%

Our costs will not be affected by tariffs, but we plan to use tariffs as
an opportunity to raise prices

2%

4%

Our costs will not be affected by tariffs, and we do not plan to
change prices because of tariffs

5%

23%

Note: Data come from special questions asked in the Spring 2025 Institute for Supply Management Semi-Annual Report available at:
https://www.ismworld.org/supply-management-news-and-reports/reports/semi-annual-economic-forecast/2025/spring/.
Source: Institute for Supply Management.

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | bostonfed.org

11

Thank you…

Questions and Discussion