The Fed chair made the remarks, his first public words since the FOMC’s November meeting, at an event with the Dallas Regional Chamber.

Chair Jerome Powell says the Federal Reserve will likely cut its key interest rate slowly and deliberately in the coming months, in part because inflation has shown signs of persistence and the Fed’s officials want to see where it heads next.

While speaking in Dallas on Thursday, Powell said economic growth will allow the Fed to tread carefully before making any rate cuts.