Federal Reserve seen holding rates next week amid Oil shock ‒ Reuters
A Reuters poll revealed that the Federal Reserve is most likely to keep interest rates unchanged for the rest of the year as it battles stubbornly high inflation that has remained above the Fed’s 2% goal for at least 5 years.
Money markets are pricing in two rate hikes by the end of Q1 2027, sponsored by high Oil prices due to the Gufl War. Traders should be aware that Fed Chair Kevin Warsh said the Fed is resolute in bringing inflation back to its 2% target, hinting that they’re squarely focused on inflation and external shocks that could drive prices higher.
Data from Prime Terminal indicates there’s no chance of a rate increase at the July 29 meeting, with odds for a hold being at 77%. However, for the December meeting, there is an 81% chance that the Fed could raise rates.
The survey showed that 104 economists expect no change to the Fed funds rate at the July meeting, while 78 see the Fed holding rates for the rest of the year. Despite this, 66% of the respondents indicated that the chance of a rate hike is higher.
Fed FAQs
Monetary policy in the US is shaped by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed has two mandates: to achieve price stability and foster full employment. Its primary tool to achieve these goals is by adjusting interest rates. When prices are rising too quickly and inflation is above the Fed’s 2% target, it raises interest rates, increasing borrowing costs throughout the economy. This results in a stronger US Dollar (USD) as it makes the US a more attractive place for international investors to park their money. When inflation falls below 2% or the Unemployment Rate is too high, the Fed may lower interest rates to encourage borrowing, which weighs on the Greenback.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) holds eight policy meetings a year, where the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) assesses economic conditions and makes monetary policy decisions. The FOMC is attended by twelve Fed officials – the seven members of the Board of Governors, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and four of the remaining eleven regional Reserve Bank presidents, who serve one-year terms on a rotating basis.
In extreme situations, the Federal Reserve may resort to a policy named Quantitative Easing (QE). QE is the process by which the Fed substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system. It is a non-standard policy measure used during crises or when inflation is extremely low. It was the Fed’s weapon of choice during the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. It involves the Fed printing more Dollars and using them to buy high grade bonds from financial institutions. QE usually weakens the US Dollar.
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse process of QE, whereby the Federal Reserve stops buying bonds from financial institutions and does not reinvest the principal from the bonds it holds maturing, to purchase new bonds. It is usually positive for the value of the US Dollar.
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