Having signaled a rate-hike ‘no matter what’, The Fed delivered 25bps (as the market 100% expected), cut its reference to “rate below long-run levels for some time,” and signaled its expectations for two more rate-hikes in 2018.
Key takeaways from FOMC decision:
-
Fed raises rates as expected, 8-0 vote
-
In the latest dots, the rate hike path steepens a little this year, still aiming at 3.4% end-2020; longer-run neutral rate still seen at 2.9%
-
FOMC statement says economy growing at “solid rate,” job gains have been “strong,” consumer spending has picked up and investment continued to grow “strongly”
-
The Fed removed the low inflation line: “Market-based measures of inflation compensation remain low”
-
Language about the economy upgraded, line about rates remaining below long-run levels “for some time” was removed
-
The sentence got tweaked: “The Committee expects that further gradual increases in the target range for the federal funds rate will be consistent with sustained expansion of economic activity, strong labor market conditions, and inflation near the Committee’s symmetric 2 percent objective over the medium term.”
-
IOER rate raised 20bps to 1.95% as of June 14; discount rate goes up to 2.5%
The median ‘dot’ for the end of 2018 has been 2.125% since Dec 2016 and today’s dot plot shifted higher to 2.375% confirming The Fed’s expectation for two more rate hikes this year…
So the 2018 and 2019 rate expectations are higher as the most dovish participants raise their dots…
The bias is clearly hawkish.
* * *
Ahead of today’s FOMC decision, the market was pricing in 3.8 rate hikes in 2018 (that would be 1.8 more hikes after today’s hike)…
But the market is also pricing a notable slowdown in the trajectory of rate-hikes next year…
Since The Fed last hiked rates, in March, Financial Conditions have eased…
The Dollar has soared since the last Fed rate hike, EM FX has collapsed, Treasuries are unchanged and stocks are marginally higher…
And perhaps most critically, the US yield curve has collapsed since The Fed hiked in March…
While a 25bps rate-hike is 100% baked into the cake – well why wouldn’t it be, we’re in the middle of a “global synchronous recovery” right? Oh wait!
And so don’t show this chart to The Fed…
Because remember, they’re raising rate for the right reason.
* * *
Full Redline below:
via RSS https://ift.tt/2yeMS4G Tyler Durden