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FOMC statement for January 2020

The full FOMC statement for January 2020

Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in December indicates that the labor market remains strong and that economic activity has been rising at a moderate rate. Job gains have been solid, on average, in recent months, and the unemployment rate has remained low. Although household spending has been rising at a moderate pace, business fixed investment and exports remain weak. On a 12‑month basis, overall inflation and inflation for items other than food and energy are running below 2 percent. Market-based measures of inflation compensation remain low; survey-based measures of longer-term inflation expectations are little changed.

Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. The Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 1‑1/2 to 1-3/4 percent. The Committee judges that the current stance of monetary policy is appropriate to support sustained expansion of economic activity, strong labor market conditions, and inflation returning to the Committee’s symmetric 2 percent objective. The Committee will continue to monitor the implications of incoming information for the economic outlook, including global developments and muted inflation pressures, as it assesses the appropriate path of the target range for the federal funds rate.

In determining the timing and size of future adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will assess realized and expected economic conditions relative to its maximum employment objective and its symmetric 2 percent inflation objective. This assessment will take into account a wide range of information, including measures of labor market conditions, indicators of inflation pressures and inflation expectations, and readings on financial and international developments.

Voting for the monetary policy action were Jerome H. Powell, Chair; John C. Williams, Vice Chair; Michelle W. Bowman; Lael Brainard; Richard H. Clarida; Patrick Harker; Robert S. Kaplan; Neel Kashkari; Loretta J. Mester; and Randal K. Quarles.

Implementation Note issued January 29, 2020

Pres. Trump: Fed should get smart and lower the rate to make US rates competitive

The FOMC decision is set for tomorrow at 2 PM ET

As the FOMC today meeting gets underway today, with the decision due at 2 PM ET/1900 GMT tomorrow, Pres. Trump is adding his two cents into the discussion.

He says:
  • The Fed should get smart and lower the rate to make our interest competitive with other countries
  • If Fed lowers interest rates, we would then focus on paying off and refinancing the US debt
Of course the Fed only controls the shorter-term interest rates. Longer term interest rates have the shorter-term interest rates as a function, but it is not the end all be all for the shape of the yield curve. In fact, rates could increase further out the curve and increase treasury borrowing obligations.

The full FOMC statement for December 2019

The FOMC Statement for December 2019

Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in October indicates that the labor market remains strong and that economic activity has been rising at a moderate rate. Job gains have been solid, on average, in recent months, and the unemployment rate has remained low. Although household spending has been rising at a strong pace, business fixed investment and exports remain weak. On a 12‑month basis, overall inflation and inflation for items other than food and energy are running below 2 percent. Market-based measures of inflation compensation remain low; survey-based measures of longer-term inflation expectations are little changed.

Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. The Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 1‑1/2 to 1-3/4 percent. The Committee judges that the current stance of monetary policy is appropriate to support sustained expansion of economic activity, strong labor market conditions, and inflation near the Committee’s symmetric 2 percent objective. The Committee will continue to monitor the implications of incoming information for the economic outlook, including global developments and muted inflation pressures, as it assesses the appropriate path of the target range for the federal funds rate.

In determining the timing and size of future adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will assess realized and expected economic conditions relative to its maximum employment objective and its symmetric 2 percent inflation objective. This assessment will take into account a wide range of information, including measures of labor market conditions, indicators of inflation pressures and inflation expectations, and readings on financial and international developments.

Voting for the monetary policy action were Jerome H. Powell, Chair; John C. Williams, Vice Chair; Michelle W. Bowman; Lael Brainard; James Bullard; Richard H. Clarida; Charles L. Evans; Esther L. George; Randal K. Quarles; and Eric S. Rosengren.

Implementation Note issued December 11, 2019

Highlights of the FOMC decision on December 11, 2019:

  • At the prior decision on October 30, the Fed cut rates 25 bps
  • The market has priced in virtually no chance of rate move through February
  • IOER 1.55% vs 1.55% prior
  • Fed drops language about ‘uncertainties about this outlook remain’
  • Vote was unanimous
  • “The Committee will continue to monitor the implications of incoming information for the economic outlook, including global developments and muted inflation pressures, as it assesses the appropriate path of the target range for the federal funds rate”
  • No changes in the economic outlook paragraph
  • Says “the current stance of monetary policy is appropriate”
  • Leaves forecasts for GDP and inflation unchanged, lowers unemployment
  • Median forecast is for one rate hike in 2021 and one in 2022

Dropping the language about uncertainties is moderately hawkish. However the market is basically unmoved in the aftermath. The Fed is clearly signaling that it’s on the sidelines here.

A quick glance at the key risk events in markets this week

It is going to be an eventful week in markets despite the slower start today

Let us take a look at what else is on the agenda:

Tuesday, 10 December
– RBA governor Philip Lowe speaks at the AusPayNet Summit in Sydney
– China November CPI data
– Germany December ZEW survey current conditions, expectations
Wednesday, 11 December
– US November CPI data
– FOMC December monetary policy meeting & Fed chair Powell press conference
Thursday, 12 December
– UK general election
– SNB December monetary policy meeting
– ECB December monetary policy meeting & ECB president Lagarde press conference
– BOC governor Stephen Poloz speaks about the Canadian economic outlook for 2020
Friday, 13 December
– US November retail sales data
Sunday, 15 December
– Deadline before US tariffs on $156 billion of Chinese goods go into effect
These will be the key ones to pay attention to but there will also be other smaller data releases during the week that will also have some say to the ebb and flow of things.
As such, fret not about the lack of meaningful moves in markets so far today. Things will surely heat up over the next few days.

What’s driving the USD right now?

What’s driving the USD right now?

What's driving the USD right now?

The FOMC decided to pause their recent easing cycle, but they also said that rate hikes were not going to be considered for some time, signalling a broadly more dovish bias to US monetary policy.The expectations for the rest of 2019 is that the Fed will remain on hold and that the holding position for the medium term will be for rates to remain as they are.

USD being driven by it’s safe haven status

The main driver then, at the moment, is coming from the USD’s status as a safe haven currency. The flip flopping of the US-China trade dispute, which is subject to regular and rapid change, has been moving the USD around on safe haven moves:

  • Positive developments in the US/China trade tariffs weighs on the USD
  • Negative developments in the US/China trade tariffs supports the USD

The FOMC statement for the October 2019 meeting

FOMC statement for the October 2019 meeting…

October 30, 2019

Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement

For release at 2:00 p.m. EDT

Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in September indicates that the labor market remains strong and that economic activity has been rising at a moderate rate. Job gains have been solid, on average, in recent months, and the unemployment rate has remained low. Although household spending has been rising at a strong pace, business fixed investment and exports remain weak. On a 12-month basis, overall inflation and inflation for items other than food and energy are running below 2 percent. Market-based measures of inflation compensation remain low; survey-based measures of longer-term inflation expectations are little changed.

Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. In light of the implications of global developments for the economic outlook as well as muted inflation pressures, the Committee decided to lower the target range for the federal funds rate to 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 percent. This action supports the Committee’s view that sustained expansion of economic activity, strong labor market conditions, and inflation near the Committee’s symmetric 2 percent objective are the most likely outcomes, but uncertainties about this outlook remain. The Committee will continue to monitor the implications of incoming information for the economic outlook as it assesses the appropriate path of the target range for the federal funds rate.

In determining the timing and size of future adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will assess realized and expected economic conditions relative to its maximum employment objective and its symmetric 2 percent inflation objective. This assessment will take into account a wide range of information, including measures of labor market conditions, indicators of inflation pressures and inflation expectations, and readings on financial and international developments.

Voting for the monetary policy action were Jerome H. Powell, Chair; John C. Williams, Vice Chair; Michelle W. Bowman; Lael Brainard; James Bullard; Richard H. Clarida; Charles L. Evans; and Randal K. Quarles. Voting against this action were: Esther L. George and Eric S. Rosengren, who preferred at this meeting to maintain the target range at 1-3/4 percent to 2 percent.

Implementation Note issued October 30, 2019

The FOMC September 2019 full statement

FOMC statement from the September 2019 rate decision

Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in July indicates that the labor market remains strong and that economic activity has been rising at a moderate rate. Job gains have been solid, on average, in recent months, and the unemployment rate has remained low. Although household spending has been rising at a strong pace, business fixed investment and exports have weakened. On a 12-month basis, overall inflation and inflation for items other than food and energy are running below 2 percent. Market-based measures of inflation compensation remain low; survey-based measures of longer-term inflation expectations are little changed.

Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. In light of the implications of global developments for the economic outlook as well as muted inflation pressures, the Committee decided to lower the target range for the federal funds rate to 1-3/4 to 2 percent. This action supports the Committee’s view that sustained expansion of economic activity, strong labor market conditions, and inflation near the Committee’s symmetric 2 percent objective are the most likely outcomes, but uncertainties about this outlook remain. As the Committee contemplates the future path of the target range for the federal funds rate, it will continue to monitor the implications of incoming information for the economic outlook and will act as appropriate to sustain the expansion, with a strong labor market and inflation near its symmetric 2 percent objective.

In determining the timing and size of future adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will assess realized and expected economic conditions relative to its maximum employment objective and its symmetric 2 percent inflation objective. This assessment will take into account a wide range of information, including measures of labor market conditions, indicators of inflation pressures and inflation expectations, and readings on financial and international developments.

Voting for the monetary policy action were Jerome H. Powell, Chair, John C. Williams, Vice Chair; Michelle W. Bowman; Lael Brainard; Richard H. Clarida; Charles L. Evans; and Randal K. Quarles. Voting against the action were James Bullard, who preferred at this meeting to lower the target range for the federal funds rate to 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 percent; and Esther L. George and Eric S. Rosengren, who preferred to maintain the target range at 2 percent to 2-1/4 percent.

Fed lowers interest rates by 25 basis points, as expected

Highlights of the FOMC statement on September 18, 2019:

  • Fed funds target rate lowered to 1.75%-2.00%
  • Prior Fed funds rate was 2.00%-2.25%
  • IOER lowered to 1.80% vs 1.85% expected
  • IOER spread widened to 20 bps
  • Statement repeats that economic activity is rising at a moderate rate
  • Repeats the labor market remains strong
  • Repeats will act as appropriate to sustain expansion
  • Repeats inflation running below 2%
  • Bullard voted to lower rates more aggressively, George and Rosengren voted for no cuts
  • George and Rosengren dissented previously for no cuts
  • Says household spending been rising at a strong pace vs ‘has picked up from earlier in the year’ prior
  • Adds that exports have weakened
  • Business fixed investment ‘has weakened’ vs ‘has been soft’

There isn’t much of any kind of change in the statement. The market is focusing on the dot plot, which doesn’t show another cut this year and only an 9-8  preference for no cut at all next year.