The sinking Fed terminal rate
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THE SINKING FED TERMINAL RATE
With the market currently pricing an aggressive rate cut by the Federal Reserve, the U.S. central bank's terminal rate, or that level of rate considered neither restrictive or accommodative, has dropped to 3%, according to TD Securities.
It hit a high of 4.15% in mid-May.
For 2024, fed funds futures have priced about 106 basis points in cuts and about 83 bps more until June of next year.
"Given that the outlook for inflation has increasingly come into better balance, we don't think the Fed is about to risk an unnecessary deterioration in the labor market to reach the 2% objective. Risks have become truly two-sided, if not tilted toward downward employment outcomes," writes Gennadiy Goldberg, head of U.S. rates strategy at TD Securities.
It wasn't too long ago that bond fund managers were forecasting a shallow easing cycle given sticky inflation and a still solid labor market. Many of them believed that the Fed's terminal or neutral rate would be at 3.5%-4%.
But things changed since that softer-than-expected U.S. jobs report.
Economic data will still be the focus in the run-up to the Fed's September meeting, but investors are no longer solely focused on inflation. Stronger numbers in key indicators could potentially lead market pricing to rebound, according to TD strategists in note.
For instance, a sharp correction lower in the unemployment rate next month could leave the market re-pricing cuts.
The Fed could lay out what its thinking at the Jackson Hole Symposium on August 22-24, or they can also comment following the August jobs report on September 6.
(Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss)
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FOR TUESDAY'S EARLIER LIVE MARKETS POSTS:
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STIFEL STICKS WITH S&P 500 STILL SELLING DOWN TO 5000 - CLICK HERE
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WALL STREET BOUNCES BACK - CLICK HERE
THE VIX MADE A STATEMENT, BUT WILL IT HAVE MORE TO SAY? - CLICK HERE
RETAIL TRADERS' LONG TERM POSITIONING INTACT AFTER MONDAY'S ROUT - CLICK HERE
BANKS: "GOLD MEDAL FOR VOLATILITY" - CLICK HERE
SHARP MARKET WEAKNESS "AN OVERREACTION", SAYS UBS - CLICK HERE
BATTERED BANKS & TECH LEAD A MODEST BOUNCE - CLICK HERE
FUTURES POINT TO TURNAROUND TUESDAY - CLICK HERE
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