WASHINGTON, June 7 (Reuters) – The U.S. economy is robust amid robust customer spending but some locations are slowing down, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen mentioned on Wednesday, adding that she expects continued progress in bringing inflation down more than the subsequent two years with a robust labor market place.

Yellen, in a CNBC interview, also mentioned that even though banks may possibly struggle with industrial actual estate and face some consolidation, there is ample liquidity in the method and banks should really normally be in a position to withstand any strain.

Yellen mentioned that inflation can subside even though preserving a robust labor market place, with unemployment in the four% variety, up slightly from the three.7% reading in May possibly.

“We’ve normally believed an unemployment price with 4 as the initial digit is a quite robust labor market place,” Yellen mentioned. “Clearly, Americans really feel superior about their job prospects. They are acquiring function speedily.”

She mentioned the economy has slowed somewhat, easing pressures in the labor market place, but “we nonetheless have a quite healthful labor market place, wage gains are substantial.”

Yellen mentioned that legislation to lift the debt ceiling and lessen U.S. deficits by additional than $1 trillion more than a decade would assistance the Federal Reserve’s efforts to bring down inflation.

Asked about former Richmond Federal Reserve President Jeffrey Lacker’s view that the federal funds price, at five.-five.25% now, will have to rise to six% to tame inflation, Yellen mentioned that was a choice for the Fed.

“Customer spending has continued to develop in a quite robust way, but you are also seeing locations of the economy that are slowing down,” Yellen mentioned. “And this is a judgment that my former colleagues at the Fed are quite capable of generating. As I mentioned, I consider what is essential is to attempt to bring inflation down. That is a major priority.”

Genuine ESTATE Strain

She mentioned that banks would face some issues associated to industrial actual estate due to the fact of larger interest prices and remote function arrangements that have lowered demand for workplace space, but anxiety tests have shown that banks have sufficient capital, and banking supervisors are searching closely at the scenario.

“My general study is that the level of capital and liquidity in the banking method is robust and even though there will be some discomfort related with this, that banks should really be in a position to manage the strain,” she mentioned.

Asked no matter whether she would assistance additional consolidation amongst banks, she mentioned the present diverse banking method with robust neighborhood banks, regional banks and substantial banks was a “strength” for the U.S. economy, but some additional consolidation was most likely.

Yellen mentioned she would not want to see U.S. banking diversity threatened, “but definitely in this atmosphere, some banks are experiencing stress on earnings and there is a motivation to see some consolidation. And it would not surprise me to see some of that going forward.”

CRYPTO REGULATORY ‘HOLES’

Yellen added that U.S. economic regulators have tools to defend U.S. investors and shoppers on crypto assets, and it was suitable for the Securities and Exchange Commission to examine these for additional actions.

“And similarly, I see some holes in the method, exactly where further regulation I consider would be suitable. And we would like to function with Congress to see further legislation passed,” she mentioned, without the need of identifying these deficiencies.

Yellen also mentioned numerous European Union and other nations are operating to enact a 15% international corporate minimum tax agreed in 2021, but which Congress has not ratified. Other countries’ collections of some taxes from U.S. firms beneath the international minimum levy may possibly persuade Congress to adopt it, she mentioned.

Reporting by David Lawder and Susan Heavey Editing by Doina Chiacu, Chizu Nomiyama and Andrea Ricci

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