Fed Governor Lisa Cook says she is prepared to raise rates if inflation persists

Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook says she is ready to raise interest rates if inflation does not improve. Speaking at an event at Stanford University, Cook indicates that the “risks remain tilted toward higher inflation,” suggesting that the central bank views inflation as still vulnerable to remaining elevated. She also says inflation is moving in the wrong direction and that she would be prepared to tighten monetary policy if that pattern continues. The remarks position Cook among Fed officials who are increasingly open to the prospect of higher rates in response to persistently high prices. While the sources do not specify a timeline or cite particular inflation metrics, they agree on the core message: Cook ties potential future rate increases to the durability of inflation pressures. Overall, the comments reflect the Fed’s conditional approach—rates would rise if inflation persists rather than returning to a more acceptable path.