[Fed's Mouthpiece: U.S. Economy May Have Achieved a Soft Landing, But No One Dares to Declare Victory] BlockBeats News, February 15, 'Fed's Mouthpiece' Nick Timiraos wrote that key indicators of the U.S. economy are pointing in a positive direction: inflation is declining, the labor market remains strong, and economic growth is solid. While this is not a definitive conclusion, it is the closest the U.S. economy has ever come to achieving a soft landing (curbing inflation while avoiding a recession). Just four years ago, many economists believed this was impossible. Now, the scenario of reducing inflation to the Federal Reserve's 2% target without falling into a recession has become credible once again. However, even if oxygen masks are not needed, it is still too early to unbuckle the seatbelt. The Fed's preferred inflation gauge, the core PCE annual rate, is currently close to 3%. Many forecasters predict that inflation will make little progress this year as tariff-related price increases ripple through more areas. Meanwhile, the labor market may not be as robust as last week's report suggested. Payden & Rygel Chief Economist Jeffrey Cleveland stated that, objectively speaking, the labor market has been weak, and the unemployment rate is more likely to rise than fall this year.