Fed poised to cut

Fed poised to cut

The Chairman probably doesn’t have the votes for a half-point cut now.

We expect a full percentage point in cuts by December 2024.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) – the policy setting arm of the Federal Reserve – is expected to cut rates by a quarter point at the conclusion of its meeting on September 18th. A larger, one-half percent cut will no doubt be discussed during the meeting, but Fed Chairman Jay Powell is unlikely to have the votes to get a half percent cut in September over the finish line. We have never come so close to a major tipping point on interest rates without more certainty. Financial markets are split 50/50 on whether the cut is one-half or a quarter percent. The key for Powell will be what he can get over the finish line without a dissent from those closest to him on the Board of Governors. A dissent among a regional Fed president is easier for a Fed Chairman to swallow and could actually provide the cover the Fed needs to cut more aggressively without financial markets seeing it as a panicked move. Either way, we still expect to see a full one percent of cuts prior to year-end, which means at least one outsized cut in September, November or December.

The statement following the FOMC meeting is expected to reflect the ongoing improvement in inflation that we have seen since the July meeting and concerns about the labor market. The risks to the forecast are expected to be downgraded to reflect renewed concern about the strength of the labor market. The goal will be to “dial down” the restriction on monetary policy, while the lags on rates continue to move inflation toward the Fed’s 2% target.

The language regarding the need for more confidence before cutting will be struck from the official statement. Look for it to be replaced by more urgent language, which opens the door to larger cuts if necessary.?

The Fed is scheduled to release its quarterly Summary of Economic Projections (SEP). Participants make their projections prior to the meeting but are allowed to tweak the estimates during the meeting. That allows them to better align their forecasts with current debate.

We are expecting participants at the meeting to hold their forecasts for real GDP growth at 2.1%, the same as they did in the July meeting. The forecast for the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index, which is what the Fed targets, is expected to come down slightly. The forecast for unemployment by year-end is expected to move up. We are already above the SEP’s 4% estimate in June for year-end.

We expect the trajectory on rate cuts to be closely split between three and four before year-end. ?We expect a full percentage point in cuts by December 2024. Another one percent in rate cuts is expected for 2025; that is consistent with where the Fed was in June. The terminal rate moved up from 2.6% to 2.8% in June. It is expected to stay there in September. New York Fed President John Williams, who has considerable sway on the FOMC, has argued that he believes that the neutral or noninflationary rate may be lower.

The first order of business for the Fed will be to cut rates to avert a recession and then nailing a soft landing. The next step will be deciding when to stop.


Sage Kakkat

Founder SKXYWTF - Global Wealth Fund I World Trade Factory | What in the World! | Jack of all Trades

2 个月

Looks like you all got what you wanted which the market reacted negatively as it looks to evaluate how far we have extended ourselves in terms of asset valuations and debt while forecasting a slowing economy. If you all want an objective view of the global economy and all its dynamism you are all welcome to subscribe to my newsletter and would appreciate if there is anything else in there you would like to have included. https://www.dhirubhai.net/newsletters/what-in-the-world-7193097689654345728 Good luck to you all and happy investing!

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Jeffrey Leitz, FSA, CERA, CIREC

Hedge Fund Founder & CEO | Quant Investment CIO | Consulting Actuary | Luxury Agent | Art Consultant +1 860 490 2892 [email protected]

2 个月

The short term interest rate will run above the current inflation rate for some time, in order to make up for the period when inflation was running much higher. In the long run, cumulative inflation and compounding at the short term rate equalizes. Look for a 0 to 25bp decrease today. Fed assets are still being sold off so the net impact is not dovish.

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Sage Kakkat

Founder SKXYWTF - Global Wealth Fund I World Trade Factory | What in the World! | Jack of all Trades

2 个月

The Fed or FOMC have not decided or declared that they are in a cutting cycle. I dont know how this kind of misinformation starts and gets perpetuated that loops in the best to continue to post all across social media creating FOMO while not really looking at data or reading what the Fed Chair actually said. There has not been any statement made by FOMC in their scheduled meetings to start any kind of rate cutting and not even any commitment for September. "The time has come for policy to adjust. The direction of travel is clear, and the timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks". This is all that Jerome Powell said and market is overinterpreting that and betting heavily on cuts in September. Nothing in the recent speech at Jackson Hole has any reference by Fed Chair or FOMC to start cutting in September. https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/powell20240823a.htm Please read that because we seem to have collectively developed a severe lack of reading comprehension in this country

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Sandeep Gill

HNW Wealth Management, Gill Wealth Group at RBC Dominion Securities

2 个月

3.5% is the goal. Most likely a gradual path.

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Mike McCann

Business Development | C-Suite Selling | Client Development | Client Rapport | Executive-level Communication

2 个月

Interesting timing on the decision...before a presidential election. I believe the last time this happened was just before the 2020 election.

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