Kansas City Federal Reserve President Jeffrey Schmid signalled resistance to a widely anticipated interest-rate cut next month, saying from the Jackson Hole symposium on Thursday that policymakers should wait for "very definitive data" before easing. Schmid, a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee this year, described the central bank’s current 4.25%–4.50% target range as only "modestly restrictive" and maintained he is "not in a hurry to cut rates." The regional Fed chief warned that inflation remains "closer to 3% than 2%" and that the "last mile" of disinflation will be difficult, arguing price pressures pose greater risks than a potential softening in employment. He said officials will scrutinise August and September inflation prints and called the 5 September jobs report "very consequential" for the policy outlook. Schmid characterised the labour market as "solid," noting that supply and demand for workers appear balanced even after immigration-related shifts, though he acknowledged some cooling earlier in the year. Business contacts in his district, he added, are showing renewed optimism heading into the second half. Addressing a separate controversy, Schmid said Governor Lisa Cook would "handle matters as she needs to" after mortgage-fraud allegations surfaced, and suggested simplifying mortgage-application procedures industry-wide. He emphasised that the issue is distinct from monetary-policy deliberations. Traders still assign roughly an 80% chance to a quarter-point reduction at the 16–17 September FOMC meeting. Schmid’s comments highlight an emerging split within the Fed as Chair Jerome Powell prepares to outline an updated policy framework in his keynote address to the Jackson Hole gathering on Friday.