Kevin Hassett regains lead over Kevin Warsh on prediction markets in neck-and-neck Fed chairman race

Core Viewpoint - The race for the next chairman of the Federal Reserve is highly competitive, primarily between Kevin Hassett and Kevin Warsh, with fluctuating odds in prediction markets indicating a close contest for the nomination. Group 1: Candidates and Odds - Kevin Hassett has regained the lead in prediction markets, with approximately 53% of bettors favoring him for the nomination on Kalshi as of Tuesday afternoon, while Kevin Warsh has about 34% support [2] - On Polymarket, Hassett's odds stand at 54%, compared to Warsh's 36%, with other candidates like Christopher Waller and Scott Bessent receiving 6% and 2% odds, respectively [3] - Hassett's odds had previously peaked at 77% on Kalshi, while Warsh's were as low as 10%, indicating a significant shift in market sentiment [4] Group 2: Concerns and Opinions - Wall Street executives and corporate leaders have expressed concerns that Hassett may align too closely with President Trump, potentially compromising the Fed's independence [5] - Hassett has emphasized that interest-rate decisions should be based on factual data and stated that Trump's opinions would not influence his decisions as Fed chairman, although he acknowledges Trump's strong views [7] - The competition between Hassett and Warsh has led to the cancellation of interviews with other candidates, indicating the high stakes involved in the selection process [8]