[Federal Reserve's Barkin: Rate Cuts Support Job Market, Inflation Task Still Awaits Final Step] Jin10 Data, February 3 – Richmond Fed President Barkin stated on Tuesday that the Federal Reserve's rate-cut measures so far have helped 'insure' the health of the job market while working to complete the 'last mile' of bringing inflation back to the 2% target. Barkin noted that the cumulative 1.75 percentage points of rate cuts since the fall of 2024 'have provided some insurance for supporting the labor market as we work to complete the final stage of returning inflation to the target.' He pointed out that the unemployment rate remains at historically low levels, while inflation is currently about one percentage point above the target but is expected to decline in the coming months. 'Inflation is still above our target. It has been since 2021, and I take this persistent deviation very seriously. Regardless of the "cause," today's inflation data will have a significant impact on tomorrow's inflation.' Barkin expects the economy to remain resilient in 2026, with 'significant stimulus' from deregulation and tax cuts, and businesses maintaining confidence in sustained demand. The recent surge in productivity will also help curb inflation, as 'companies are better able to withstand higher input costs, reducing the pressure to raise prices.'