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Rick Rieder Emerges as Market Front-Runner for Fed Chair After Reported Oval Office Interview

Betting markets now price the BlackRock executive near even odds, with an official nomination still pending.

Overview

  • Odds on Polymarket and Kalshi recently climbed to roughly 48–53% for Rieder after President Trump called him “very impressive,” overtaking earlier favorites Kevin Warsh and Kevin Hassett.
  • Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said a nomination could come as soon as this week, and Jerome Powell’s term as chair ends on May 15.
  • Rieder is BlackRock’s chief investment officer for global fixed income, overseeing about $2.4 trillion, and he has no prior Federal Reserve or central-banking experience.
  • He has advocated a materially lower policy path, including a federal funds rate near 3% and discussion of roughly 100 basis points of easing.
  • Analysts warn the betting signal is limited by thin volume of about $60 million, and any outside pick would still need a Fed Board seat and Senate confirmation.