Tim Duy's Fed Watch

Fed Frets About Inflation While Preparing Another Rate Hike

The minutes of the Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2018 FOMC meeting made a bit of a splash with their mixed message. The minutes revealed widespread concern with the weak inflation numbers of the past year. Yet the minutes also showed that committee members were committed to a December rate hike. Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead! Why the mixed message? Two words: “gradual” and “lags.”

Continued here (blog and newsletter)...

All Systems Go For A December Rate Hike

Incoming data indicate the US economy retains momentum as 2017 draws to a close, clearing the way for the Fed to hike rates in December. Inflation, however, remains on the soft side and continues to make some FOMC members nervous. That said, the consensus looks set to downplay those concerns amid an environment of solid economic growth and declining unemployment rates. I think it will be a challenge for FOMC members to shift gears to steady policy until growth moderates sufficiently to stabilize unemployment rates.

Continued here…

The Unintended Consequences of a Flatter Yield Curve

It was supposed to be easy. When the Federal Reserve started hiking the federal funds rate, longer-term interest rates would rise. After all, they were at very low levels, restrained by a low-term premium. The “Greenspan conundrum” of the past two cycles, when long rates failed to respond in line with higher short rates, couldn’t happen a third time in such circumstances.

But it didn’t work out that way....

Continued at Bloomberg Prophets...

 

Taking Stock

At some point every year I sense a need to reset and clarify my baseline views on the economy and monetary policy. This is that time.

Continued here...

Fed Will Keep the Rate Hikes Coming

Lots of news from last week, most of which supported the Fed’s current anticipated rate path of one 25bp hike in December followed by three more in 2018. The only potential obstacle on that path is the persistent weakness of inflation. But the ongoing decline in the unemployment rate, along with the promise of further declines in the months ahead, will dominate lingering concerns at the Fed regarding the inflation numbers.

Continued as newsletter…

Economy Not Likely Easy For Next Fed Chair

The U.S. appears set to enter a more risky phase of the business cycle as the Federal Reserve attempts to glide the economy into a so-called soft-landing. For President Donald Trump’s likely nominee as chair, Jerome Powell, this means tightening policy enough to settle the economy into full employment, but not so much that it trips into recession.

Navigating this transition will be challenging for investors and the Fed alike. Market participants should be wary of assuming that a slowing economy means a recession is near. At the same time, central bankers need to be wary that they don’t slow the economy too much and set the stage for the next recession. Altogether, this means the relative calm of the past year is likely to end soon.

Continued at Bloomberg….

Updated: Jerome Powell was nominated to serve as Fed Chair as expected.