The problem is that artificially pumping up the stock market to lofty heights without a corresponding increase in earnings would pose a significant risk to the economy.
The Fed views the deterioration in the economic outlook as a relatively new trend, and therefore it would like the benefit of more time and information before reacting to that new data. Powell does not believe there are significant risks associated with waiting for more data, but the evolving risk factors have clearly gotten the Fed's attention.
Although many members changed their forecast for Fed Funds, the support for taking no action was "quite broad." Earlier this month, President Trump reiterated his contention that the stock market would be 10,000 points higher if Powell were not the chairman of the Federal Reserve. The implication was that had the president appointed someone willing to implement the president's desire for sharply lower interest rates, investors would have celebrated by bidding stocks up to major new highs.
record high stock,why cut rate?