Tags: wells fargo | charlie scharf | interest rates | iran war

Wells Fargo CEO: No Rate Cuts Before Iran War Ends

Wells Fargo CEO: No Rate Cuts Before Iran War Ends
Wells Fargo President and CEO Charles Scharf appears before a House Committee on Financial Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Andrew Harnik/AP/2022 file)

Monday, 20 April 2026 03:33 PM EDT

Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf said Monday that lowering interest rates now, before there is clarity about a potential end to the Iran conflict, would ‌be "the wrong thing to do."

"Until ​it's clear what the end is in sight, there's real risk out there," ⁠Scharf said, adding that there seems to ​be a consensus about waiting to see how the ⁠Iran conflict will play out.

At an event at the Economic Club of Washington, Scharf said the conflict had so ‌far little effect on the U.S. ​economy, that continues to ‌be strong despite volatility in financial markets.

The Wells Fargo ‌CEO said the U.S. consumer is still increasing spending, from 5 to 7% over the ⁠same period a year ago. ‌The higher ⁠expenses with gas are resulting in adjustments in other categories, ⁠he ⁠said.

The effect may be bigger if the conflict takes longer. "If this ‌goes on for a longer period of time, it can be damaging," the CEO said.

Scharf does not ‌see ​a systemic risk ‌in losses with private credit and added it would be natural that some portfolios ​could be more affected by the credit cycle.

© 2026 Thomson/Reuters. All rights reserved.


StreetTalk
Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf said Monday that lowering interest rates now, before there is clarity about a potential end to the Iran conflict, would be "the wrong thing to do."
wells fargo, charlie scharf, interest rates, iran war
191
2026-33-20
Monday, 20 April 2026 03:33 PM
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