Main Topic: The U.S. Federal Reserve's need to raise interest rates further to bring down inflation.
Key Points:
1. Governor Michelle Bowman supports the Fed's quarter-point increase in interest rates last month due to high inflation, strong consumer spending, a rebound in the housing market, and a tight labor market.
2. Bowman expects additional rate increases to reach the Fed's 2 percent inflation target.
3. Monetary policy is not predetermined, and future decisions will be data-driven. Bowman will consider consistent evidence of inflation decline, signs of slowing consumer spending, and loosening labor market conditions.
Main Topic: Federal Reserve officials express concern about inflation and suggest more rate hikes may be necessary.
Key Points:
1. Inflation remains above the Committee's goal, and most participants see significant upside risks to inflation.
2. The recent rate hike brought the federal funds rate to its highest level in over 22 years.
3. There is uncertainty about the future direction of policy, with some members suggesting further rate hikes and others cautious about the impact on the economy.
The majority of economists polled by Reuters predict that the U.S. Federal Reserve will not raise interest rates again, and they expect the central bank to wait until at least the end of March before cutting them, as the probability of a recession within a year falls to its lowest level since September 2022.
Experts are divided on whether the US Federal Reserve should raise its interest rate target to 3% to combat inflation and cushion against recessions, with some arguing that raising inflation targets would be futile.
Two Federal Reserve officials suggest that interest-rate increases may be coming to an end, but one of them believes that further hikes may still be necessary depending on inflation trends.
Two officials at the Federal Reserve have expressed differing views on whether or not the central bank should raise its benchmark interest rate again to combat inflation, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding future rate hikes, with more clarity expected from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's upcoming speech at a Fed conference in Jackson Hole.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is expected to signal in his upcoming speech that the Fed plans to maintain its benchmark interest rate at a peak level for a longer period than anticipated, suggesting that any rate cuts are unlikely until well into next year, as the central bank aims to further slow borrowing and spending to reduce inflation.
Two Federal Reserve officials, Boston Fed President Susan Collins and Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker, suggested that the Fed may be nearing the end of interest rate increases, although Collins did not rule out the possibility of further hikes if inflation doesn't decline.
Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester believes that beating inflation will require one more interest-rate hike and then a temporary pause, stating that rate cuts may not begin in late 2024 as previously thought.
The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge increased slightly in July, suggesting that the fight against inflation may be challenging, but the absence of worse news indicates that officials are likely to maintain interest rates.
The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady this month, but inflation could still lead to additional rate increases.
Bond traders are anticipating that the Federal Reserve will continue with interest-rate hikes, and next week's consumer-price index report will provide further insight on how much more tightening may be required to control inflation.
Rising energy costs are predicted to contribute to an increase in inflation rate, but it is unlikely to prompt the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates, though there may be another rate hike in the future.
Economist Campbell Harvey warns that the Federal Reserve should not raise rates later this year, as he believes a recession may occur in 2024 due to an inverted yield curve and potential distortions in Bureau of Labor Statistics and GDP figures.
Traders and investors are betting that the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady at its September meeting, indicating a shift in the market's interpretation of good economic news, as it suggests the Fed may be close to pausing its rate hike cycle despite inflation being above target levels and potential headwinds in the economy.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is expected to maintain a cautious approach and emphasize the Fed's resolve to target inflation and keep interest rates high for an extended period at next week's policy meeting, according to economists. The general consensus among economists is that the Fed will keep rates steady and suggest a possible rate hike later this year while closely monitoring inflation and the labor market.
New research suggests that elevated interest rates may not have been the main cause of the decline in inflation, sparking a debate about whether the Federal Reserve needs to raise rates again.
Goldman Sachs strategists predict that the Federal Reserve is unlikely to raise interest rates at its upcoming meeting, but expect the central bank to increase its economic growth projections and make slight adjustments to its interest rate projections.
The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged at its upcoming meeting, but market participants will be closely watching for any hints regarding future rate cuts.
The Federal Reserve is expected to signal that another rate hike may be necessary due to strong economic growth and inflation metrics, creating a difference of opinion between the equity and bond markets.
The positive momentum surrounding Bitcoin's price is fueled by expectations that the Federal Reserve will not hike rates again this year, while market participants remain optimistic despite the strength of the United States Dollar Index.
The Federal Reserve's upcoming meeting will focus on the central bank's expectations for key indicators such as interest rates, GDP, inflation, and unemployment, while many economists believe that the Fed may signal a pause in its rate-hiking cycle but maintain the possibility of future rate increases.
Federal Reserve policymakers Governor Michelle Bowman and Boston Fed President Susan Collins expressed the need to keep interest rates elevated to combat inflation, with Bowman suggesting further rate hikes will likely be needed to bring inflation down to the Fed's 2% target and Collins stating that further tightening is not off the table as progress in battling inflation has been slow.
The Federal Reserve has upgraded its economic outlook, indicating stronger growth and lower unemployment, but also plans to raise interest rates and keep borrowing costs elevated, causing disappointment in the markets and potential challenges for borrowers.
The Federal Reserve's expected interest rate hikes have had a significant impact on gold and bonds, causing gold prices to decline and the US Dollar to reach a ten-month peak; however, concerns have been raised about whether these measures are sufficient to counteract inflation, leading to speculation about potential adjustments in rate policy.
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman predicts that the Federal Reserve is likely done raising interest rates as the economy slows down, but warns of continuing spillover effects and expects bond yields to rise further.
The Federal Reserve remains committed to raising interest rates despite the rise in U.S. bond yields, as the U.S. economy shows signs of re-accelerating in the third quarter and inflation worries ease.
Interest rates for certificates of deposit and high-yield savings accounts have increased significantly in recent years due to the Federal Reserve's rate hikes, but it is uncertain if rates will continue to rise or if they have reached their peak.
Atlanta Federal Reserve president Raphael Bostic stated that given the slowing economy and falling inflation, there is no immediate need for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates, but it will likely be a while before rate cuts are appropriate.
The Federal Reserve may not raise interest rates again this year due to an already uncertain political climate in Washington, as well as a cooling economy, slowing inflation, and potential negative impacts from high interest rates and a government shutdown.
Investors are awaiting the jobs report to determine the Federal Reserve's next move on interest rates, with wage growth and revisions to previous monthly totals being key factors to watch, amidst indications that the economy is less sensitive to rising interest rates due to lower household and corporate debt levels.