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%
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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)
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