Could Powell offer a hawkish surprise at Jackson Hole?
Main U.S. indexes edge green
Comm Svcs leads S&P 500 sector gainers; Industrials down most
Euro STOXX 600 index up ~0.3%
Dollar lower; crude down ~1.5%; gold up ~1.5%; bitcoin up ~2.5%
U.S. 10-Year Treasury yield edges down to ~3.91%
Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of markets brought to you by Reuters reporters. You can share your thoughts with us at markets.research@thomsonreuters.com
COULD POWELL OFFER A HAWKISH SURPRISE AT JACKSON HOLE?
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is likely to indicate that a rate cut is coming in September in an expected speech at next week’s Jackson Hole symposium, but a more hawkish message could surprise markets, according to Bank of America.
“The risk is more hawkish Fed communications. If Powell does not signal a rate cut at the Sept FOMC meeting or suggests that large scale rate reductions are off the table, we expect a meaningful bear or twist flattening of the UST curve,” BofA interest rate analysts including Mark Cabana said in a report.
This would happen as front-end Treasury yields rise due to the falling probability of aggressive Fed rate cuts. Longer-dated yields could rally, meanwhile, on risk-off flows, the bank said.
Traders have reduced bets that the U.S. central bank will cut rates by 50 basis points in September following a surprise increase in shelter costs in this week’s consumer price report for July. Strong retail sales data for last month has also helped to offset concerns about an impending U.S. recession.
But “the market likely does not expect explicit pushback on possibility of 50bps,” BofA said. “If Powell speaks, the rates market likely anticipates a message that suggests a rate cut will be appropriate at the next meeting (if inflation progress holds) but that the size & pace will be determined by incoming inflation & activity data. The market has well priced this outcome & these signals are unlikely to surprise.”
In the event of a hawkish surprise, BofA recommends investors buy the dip as “economic data is moderating & the Fed's next move will be a cut.” The bank says to "nibble" when 10-year yields are above 4% and shift long at 4.15%-4.25%. It also says to lighten up when the yields fall to 3.5%-3.75%.
(Karen Brettell)
*****
FOR FRIDAY'S EARLIER LIVE MARKETS POSTS:
WHAT, ME WORRY? HOUSING STARTS/BUILDING PERMITS, UMICH - CLICK HERE
S&P 500, NASDAQ ATTEMPT TO RISE FOR A SEVENTH-STRAIGHT DAY - CLICK HERE
BENCHMARK TREASURY YIELD: IS THE CLOUD NOW A CEILING? - CLICK HERE
FRENCH ASSETS STILL WEAK AFTER MACRON'S ELECTION GAMBLE - CLICK HERE
GILTS AND THE POUND COULD DROP FURTHER - CLICK HERE
STOXX SET FOR BIGGEST WEEKLY GAIN IN THREE MONTHS - CLICK HERE
EUROPE HEADS FOR BUOYANT END TO THE WEEK - CLICK HERE
GROWTH FEARS FADE AS QUICKLY AS THEY COME - CLICK HERE
Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
