Crude oil futures surged on Monday due to disruptions in Russian refining capacity caused by Ukrainian drone strikes and Moscow's decision to cut output to comply with OPEC+ targets. The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) contract for May settled at $81.95 a barrel, up $1.32, while the Brent contract for May settled at $86.57 a barrel, also up $1.32. Russia instructed...
Timing of the next Fed rate hike
2019-11-11 • Updated
Investors are always concerned with the question of when the Fed will raise interest rates. The timing of the next hike is a balancing act between the need for preemptive policy to stave off heightening inflation rates against the need to let labor market strength continue to eat away at any residual underemployment. Everyone who needs to determine the odds of rate increases at the upcoming meetings should look at the economic data releases reflecting the performance of country’s economy. So, we did skim through the key data and noticed some distortions that would probably divert Fed’s policymakers from hiking in June.
CPI figures – the well-known bedrock behind the Fed’s rate hiking intentions – fell for the first time in 13 months. The headline fell short of market expectations having printed at -0.3%. US retail sales decline 0.2% last month marking the worst two-month stretch in two years and warning traders of the softness in the first-quarter US growth data (will be released on this Friday). Core CPI numbers dropped 0.1% as if they wanted to remind the Fed, that they won’t always be at its targeted levels and that there shouldn’t be any sense of urgency for the Fed to raise rates.
Consumer confidence declined to 120.3 in April from a revised 124.9; the March jobs report had a weaker-than-expected headline. The soft data won’t knock the Fed’s officials off tightening course, but it may retard it.
According to BofA analysts, next rate increases will likely be approved at the Fed's September and December meetings in 2017. Then, the Fed will likely proceed with shrinkage of its balance sheet.
BofA believes that the Fed will signal about its readiness to trim $4 trillion portfolio in September. In December, it will release a formal balance sheet reduction plan and final changes will be made public in March 2018. The announcement of the balance sheet reduction is a tightening measure. So, it might have an impact equal to a 25 bp rate hike.
Market participants seem to be more optimistic about June rate increases than banks’ analysts. The CME Group FedWatch reflects a 68% probability of a hike in June.
The main focus will be on the upcoming US labor and inflation data. If it is not strong enough, there won’t be a rate hike in June.
The US dollar has weakened in the past weeks. The US dollar index was steadily falling since the beginning of this year. It found support at 98.70, and now it is hovering around 99.
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Bearish scenario: Sales below 80.00 with TP1: 79.60... Anticipated bullish scenario: Intraday purchases above 80.70 with TP: 81.50...
Brent oil is currently on a bullish trend, facing resistance near $84 and supported by the 200-day EMA. Breaking above this level could lead to a climb towards $90. Short-term support is observed around $80, backed by the 50-day EMA. As summer approaches and travel increases, crude oil tends to benefit from seasonal patterns. Despite temporary setbacks, buying...
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Jerome H. Powell, the Federal Reserve chair, stated that the central bank can afford to be patient in deciding when to cut interest rates, citing easing inflation and stable economic growth. Powell emphasized the Fed's independence from political influences, particularly relevant as the election season nears. The Fed had raised interest rates to 5.3 ...
Hello again my friends, it’s time for another episode of “What to Trade,” this time, for the month of April. As usual, I present to you some of my most anticipated trade ideas for the month of April, according to my technical analysis style. I therefore encourage you to do your due diligence, as always, and manage your risks appropriately.
Bearish scenario: Sell below 1.0820 / 1.0841... Bullish scenario: Buy above 1.0827...